350 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE SNOW GOOSE. 



Anser hyperboreus. 

 plate cvii. fig. 238. 

 (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



Anas cerulescens, LlNNJEtrs, p. 198. Snow Goose, Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 549. 



A. hyperborea. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, p. 76, pi. 69, fig. 3, and fig. 5 (young). 



Anser hyperboreus. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol.2, p. 376. Audobon, B. of A. Vol.6, p. 212, pi. 381. 

 Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 467. Ndttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 344. Giraud, 

 Birds of Long island, p. 297. Chen, Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List. 



Characteristics. Bill rising high on the forehead ; sides of the bill with longitudinal fur- 

 rows and indentations. Adult, white ; quills black at the point ; bill 

 and feet red. Young, purplish brown ; wing-coverts and rump bluish 

 ash, more or less white with age. Length, 28" 0. 



Description. Bill almost conical, shorter than the head ; the line of the gape curved. 

 Tarsus 3-0. Tail short, rounded, of sixteen rounded feathers. 



Color. Adult, white : quills, and their shafts toward the tips, black. Head (and occa- 

 sionally the neck) light yellowish. Bill and feet red. Young : Head and neck white, with a 

 few darker feathers on the nape. Upper part of the back dark brown ; the feathers narrowly 

 edged with light brown. Rump white, more or less barred and speckled with brown. Tail 

 dark brown ; the lateral tail-feathers bordered with pure white. Wing-coverts with a slaty 

 hue : sides of the abdomen brown, tipped with white. Bill brownish : feet reddish. 



Length, 27-0-31-0. 



The Snow Goose, or White Brant and Blue-tvinged Goose, as it is occasionally called, is 

 not very abundant on the coast of this State. It appears with us on its way south in the first 

 week in November, and is again seen in February and March. Like the preceding, it ranges 

 across the continent, and is found in the Western and Southern States in autumn and winter. 

 It breeds in high northern latitudes, and ranges between the 26th and 75th parallels. Common 

 to Europe and America. 



