This fine bird, the type of the genus Anser, and the Anser cinereus of most modern writers, claims distinction not only as being the origin of the domestic race, but as the one species indigenous to the British Islands. For nearly a hundred years, however, the Gray Lag Goose has ceased to breed in its old haunts, the English Fens; it continues to breed, yet very locally, in the Hebrides, and in certain parts of the Highlands. Its domestication must extend to a very ancient date; yet captivity, beyond increasing its size and its fecundity, has caused but trifling variation in its colour. The bird, therefore, must be too familiar to every reader to require any description here. Once apparently so common, the Gray Lag Goose is now one of our rarest birds, a fact of great significance to the student of the geographical distribution or dispersal of species. The derivation of one of this bird’s trivial names—Lag—has given rise to much speculation, until Professor Skeat[6] apparently solved the riddle by suggesting that the word—which is an equivalent for late—applied to the bird’s habit of lagging behind to breed in the Fens, after other migratory Geese had departed north. A few Gray Lag Geese locally appear, chiefly on our eastern seaboard in winter, and it is more than probable that, normally, most of these birds are the individuals still continuing to inhabit the British Islands. These birds generally resort to the coast, frequenting sand-banks and low islands during the day, as a safe retreat in which to rest and sleep, coming landwards again at dusk to feed. This Goose, although gregarious during winter, seldom or never consorts with other species, although ready enough to mingle with its tame descendants on the stubbles and pastures. Where not persecuted, this Goose is a day feeder: but incessant shooting has caused it to vary its habits in this respect, and to defer its visits to dangerous grounds until darkness has set in. It shows little partiality for water, only resorting thereto when alarmed, or during the helpless period of its moult, when its quills all drop out together and incapacitate it for flight. It swims well and buoyantly, however, and when wounded has been known to dive. The flight of this species is both rapid and powerful, the birds usually forming into Vs or Ws to perform their journeys. The call-note is a loud, far-sounding gag-gag, variously modulated on different occasions. Its food consists largely of grass and tender grain plants, but grain of all kinds is sought, together with various buds and leaves.
The Gray Lag Goose breeds early, in some localities the eggs being laid in March or April, a month later in the more northern districts. It is a social bird at this period, and numbers of nests are often made close together. Its breeding grounds are secluded moors and swamps. The huge nest, made on the ground, is placed amongst heath or dense vegetation, and is composed of branches of heather, dry grass, rushes, bracken, turf, and so on, and lined with down. The six or eight eggs are creamy-white. The gander keeps guard close to the nest, whilst the goose incubates the eggs; and when the young are reared a move is usually made seawards.
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
This Goose, the Branta albifrons of Scopoli, but the Anser albifrons of most modern writers, is a winter visitor to our islands, not only local in distribution, but much more abundant in some years than others. It may be readily distinguished from the preceding species by its orange-yellow bill, white face (a narrow and varying line of white feathers round the base of the bill), and broad black bars across the belly. It is, perhaps, most abundant on the Irish coasts, those of the south and south-west of England coming next, whilst on the east coast—a region so famous for Wild Fowl—it becomes rare. In Scotland its principal resorts are in the Outer Hebrides. The habits of all these “Gray” Geese are very much alike. During winter the present species is gregarious, and passes with great regularity from the sand-banks, where it rests and sleeps, to the more inland pastures where it feeds. Its food, flight, and actions generally resemble those of allied birds. The note is said to be more harsh and cackling than that of the preceding species, hence the name “Laughing Goose,” applied in many places to this bird.
The White-fronted Goose breeds in the Arctic regions, and was met with by Middendorff breeding in great numbers on the Siberian tundras. The nest was a mere hollow at the summit of a grassy knoll, lined with down. The eggs, from five to seven in number, are creamy-white.
BEAN GOOSE.
This species, the Anas segetum of Gmelin, and the Anser segetum of modern ornithologists, is locally distributed round the British coasts during winter, but of more general occurrence on passage, especially in autumn. The Bean Goose may be distinguished from the two preceding Geese by the colour of its bill, which has only the central portion orange-yellow, the base and the nail being black. This species arrives in our area during October and November. It is gregarious during winter, congregating in flocks of varying size, which wander about considerably, influenced by the exigencies of the weather and the supply of food. These gatherings are difficult to approach. During the day the Bean Geese come inland to search for their food, on the stubbles and newly-sown grain lands. A long-continued frost will keep them to the coast; but during spells of open, yet rough and stormy weather, they prefer to remain in inland haunts, from which, however, they soon depart at the sign of a coming frost. When feeding, Bean Geese generally station sentinels to guard the flock by giving timely notice of the approach of an enemy. Their food consists of grass, grain, tender shoots of grain, and the roots of various plants. During night, when they are certainly more easily approached, they repair to sand banks and low islands, or to the open sea, where they sleep and preen their feathers. This Goose swims well, but rises from water in a somewhat laboured manner. Its note is the familiar gag-gag, variously modulated according to circumstances.
The Bean Goose breeds on the Arctic tundras, beyond or near the limits of forest growth, across Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The nest is made early in June, amongst the tall grass and sedge of an islet on one of the tundra lakes, or on rising ground on the bank, and is merely a hollow, into which is gathered a little dry grass and a quantity of down from the body of the parent. In this nest three or four creamy-white eggs are laid. As soon as the young are half-grown, the Bean Geese begin to collect into flocks again, and to complete their moult. Like other Geese, at this time they are very helpless, being incapable of flight, as the quills drop out suddenly, and nearly all together.
Allusion must here be made to the Pink-footed Goose, the Anser brachyrhynchus of Baillon, long confounded with the Bean Goose, and perhaps only sub-specifically distinct from it. As pointed out by Mr. Cecil Smith, the characters mainly depended upon to distinguish this bird from the Bean Goose—pink legs and central portion of the bill—are not constant; but this may be due to accidental reversion. A more important difference, because apparently constant, is the bluish-gray colour of the upper wing coverts. These, however, are questions that do not come within the scope of the present volume, and must be left to the more advanced students of birds. The Pink-footed Goose is a tolerably common winter visitor to our islands, especially to the eastern districts. Its habits are not known to differ in any important respect. But little is known of its habits during the breeding season. The nest is said to be made on low rocks near the sea, or on higher cliffs in the fjords some distance inland. The four or five eggs are creamy-white.