BRANTA, 203 
admits six species, five of which are found in North America, but only one has been 
met with within our limits. 
1. Branta canadensis. 
The Canada Goose, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carol. i. p. 92, t. 92". 
Anas canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 198°. 
Bernicla canadensis, Dugés, La Nat. i. p-. 143°. 
Bernicla canadensis, var. occidentalis, Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 313°; Baird, Brewer, 
& Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 455°, 
Branta canadensis, Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 112°; A.O.U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 
p. 627. 
Pileo colloque nigris, hoc basin versus albo ; gutture et plaga genas transeunte et ad regionem paroticam pos- 
ticam extensa albis; dorso brunneo ; uropygio nigro ; supracaudalibus albis ; primariis nigris, tectricibus 
alarum et secundariis brunneis, pallidiore brunneo marginatis; rectricibus nigris; pectore et abdomine 
summo albicanti-brunneis, abdomine imo et subcaudalibus albis: rostro nigro; pedibus saturate plumbeis, 
fere nigris ; iride saturate brunnea. Long, tota circa 40-0, ale 21:0, culm. 2°7, tarsi 3-7. (Deser. maris 
adulti ex Corpus Christi, Texas. Mus. nostr.) 
2 mari similis, sed minor. Long. tota 30-0, ale 15:0, culm, 1°55, tarsi 2:2:5, 
Juv. Multo minor, et plumis albis facialibus nigro marginatis. 
Hab. Temperate Nort America, breeding in the Northern United States and British 
Provinces, south in winter 7.—Mzextco, Durango (Grayson *), Guanajuato, Guada- 
lajara (Dugeés 3). 
The Canada Goose has a very extended range in North America, breeding in the 
Arctic regions and as far south as 42° N. lat. It is abundant on all the waters of the 
interior. Four forms of B. canadensis have been recognized by American ornithologists, 
but Count Salvadori does not consider them to be distinct. 
The typical form appears to be the one which occurs in Mexico, where the Canada 
Goose has been recorded by Dugés from Guanajuato and Guadalajara, and by Grayson 
from Durango. The latter met with it on the road between the Sierra Madre 
Mountains and the city of Durango in the months of February and March, but he 
never saw or heard of one west of the Cordilleras in that locality. 
B. canadensis is the earliest to arrive at its breeding-quarters in Arctic America, 
where it nests on the plains and in the marshes. Though very tame at this season, it 
becomes more wary afterwards, and is then difficult of approach. When the young 
have not yet gained their full plumage, and the old birds are shedding their quills, 
and both are thus unable to fly, they are slaughtered in large numbers. 
The nest is generally on the ground, and consists of dead sticks and moss lined with 
down; but occasionally the eggs are laid in the old nest of a Hawk, or other large 
bird, ina tree. ‘The eggs are ivory-white, and six to nine in number. 
26* 
