PALMIPEDES. 421 



Anser, Briss. 



Geese have a moderate or short bill, narrower before than be- 

 hind, and higher than wide at base; their legs, being longer than 

 those of the Ducks, and placed nearer the centre of the body, increase 

 their facility in walking. Several of them feed on seeds and plants. 

 There is no inflation at the root of the trachea, nor is there any 

 curve in that organ in any of the species known. 



Geese, properly so called, 



Have a beak as long as their head 5 the ends of the lamellse extend 

 to its edges, appearing like pointed teeth, 



jiji. anser, L. (The Common Goose), which has acquired all 

 sorts of colours in our poultry-yards, originates from a wild 

 species that is grey, with a brown mantle undulated with grey 

 and an orange-coloured beak, the ^ns. cinereus, Meyer; Albin., 

 90; Naum. Ed. I, pi. 41, f. 60. There is another species, how- 

 ever, which arrives late in the fall, and which may be known by 

 its wings being longer than the tail, and by some white spots on 

 the forehead; its bill is orange with a black base and point. 

 'Mns. segetum, Meyer, Enl. 985; Frisch, 155; Naum., I, C. 42, 



f. 61. 



Anas albifr07is, Gm.; L'Oie rieuse; 'Edw. 153; Naum. Ed. I, 

 43, f. 62. (The White-fronted Goose.) Is sometimes seen in 

 France during the winter. It is grey, with a black belly and 

 white forehead. 

 The north of both continents produces a fourth species. 



An. hyperborea, Gm.; Wils. VIII, Ixviii, 5; and the young 

 Ixix, 5; Naum. Ed. I, Sup. pl. 23, f. 46. (The Snow-Goose.) 

 White; feet and bill red; tips of the wing-quills black. It 

 sometimes wanders into the temperate parts of Europe during 

 the prevalence of heavy gales in winter. The young bird is 

 more or less grey. It is the An. coerulescens, Gm., Edw. 152. 

 The 



Bernaci,es(1) 



Are distinguished from the Common Geese by a shorter and 

 slenderer bill, the edges of which conceal the extremities of the 



laminae. 



France is sometimes visited during the winter by that species 

 from the north of Europe, which is so celebrated by the fabu- 



(1) Bernacle, Scotch name of the A. leucopsis. 



