1856.] 



41 



dark ashy brown and white, the former predominating on the sides and flanks. 

 Throat and middle of the abdomen white. 



Dimensions. Toto^l length (of skin) about 10 J inches, wing 6 J inches, tail 3-^ 

 inches. 



Ilab. Islands in the Pacific Ocean, Washington Territory, (Dr. J. G. Cooper) 

 Spec, in Nat. Mus. Washington, and Mas. Acad. Philada. 



For the first time within the limits of the United States, this extensively dif- 

 fused species has been found in Washington Territory, the extreme north west 

 portion of this Republic, by J. G. Cooper, M. D., naturalist attached to the party 

 which surveyed the most northern proposed route for a rail-road to the Pacific 

 Ocean, and commanded by Hon. I. I. Stevens. It is a small species uniformly 

 colored above, and not difficult to distinguish from any other of its genus yet 

 discovered in the United States. 



This species possesses an extensive range of locality, probably including the 

 greater part of the entire western coast of North and South America, the Sand- 

 wich and Feejee Islands, and is very nearly allied to, if not identical with the 

 Japanese species, figured as above in Fauna Japonica. It has, moreover, quite 

 a redundancy of names, a portion of which we cite above. Pallas gives this 

 species as an inhabitant of Kamtschatka and the Russian American islands. 



5. Anser htperboreus, Pallas, Spicilegia Zoologica, i, pt. vi, p. 25, (ITGD.) 



Anas nivalis, Forster, Phil. Trans. London, Ixii, p. 413, (lYT'i.) 



Wilson, Am. Orn. viii, pi. 68, fig. 5. And. B. of Am. pl. 381, fig. 1, oct. ed. 

 vi, pl. 381, fig. 1. 



This species is either liable to great variation in size and color of plumage, 

 or three distinct birds have been confounded under one name. My present in- 

 formation inclines me to the opinion that the latter is the truth ; after having 

 collected numerous specimens now in the Museum of the Academy, and rather 

 carefully noted the observations of northern voyagers and of naturalists attached 

 to Arctic Expeditions. 



Two distinct sizes appear to be constant in the same sexes of specimens that 

 are perfectly white, with the black tips of the primaries and the ferruginous 

 markings on the head and face in both, and these I regard at present as distinct 

 species. The larger is the bird described by Pallas and Forster and by all Ameri- 

 can authors as the Snow Goose, and is much the more frequent on the Atlantic 

 coast of North America. It is figured by the authors above cited and by others, 

 and specimens are frequently brought to the markets of the cities, though some 

 winters have passed in Philadelphia in which I have not noticed it. Specimens 

 of adults and young are in the Museum of this Academy, the young being 

 distinguished by the prevalence of a cinereous color on the upper parts of the 

 head, neck and body. Sexes alike, female slightly smaller. 



Dimensions. Male. Total length (of skin) about 31 inches, wing 18^, tail 6J, 

 bill from the tip to frontal feathers along the culmen 2^, to gape 2f, tarsus 3|^ 

 inches. 



6. Anser albatus, nobis. 



Form. Smaller than the preceding, bill shorter, bare space at the base of the 

 upper mandible not extending so far into the feathers (on the sides of the bill in 

 front.) Wing long, second quill longest, tail short but comparatively rather 

 longer than in the preceding, which is also the case with the tarsus. 



Dimensions. Male. Total length (of skin) about 25 inches, wing 15|, tail 5f , 

 bill measured along the culmen from tip to frontal feathers 2, to gape 2, tarsus 

 3 inches. Sexes alike, female slightly smaller. 



Colors. Adult. Entire plumage white, except primaries, which are pale cine- 

 reous at base and black in the terminating two-thirds of their length. Front and 

 cheeks spotted with ferrugiuous, bill and feet red. 



Uab. Western and Northern America, Oregon, rare on the Atlantic. 



A single specimen from Oregon is in the collection of the Exploring Expedi- 

 tion in the Vincennes and Peacock, and four specimens, which occurred in pairs, 

 have come under my notice in the market at Philadelphia in the course of twenty 

 years. These five specimens are all that I have seen of this species, and it is 



