555 

 BEAN-GEESE OF ASIA. 



BY 



S. A. BUTURLIN. 



When writing on the subject in No. 3, Vol. XVII, of this Journal, I did 

 not intend to discuss the matter further, hoping that this distinguished 

 Ornithologist, Mr. Eugene W. Oates, having access to the scientific treasures 

 of the British Museum, will settle the open questions at once by publishing 

 full particulars on types of Anser serrirostris, Swinh., and A. oatesi, Rickett. 

 Unfortunately Mr. Oates in his last paper (No. 4, Vol. XVII, p, 950 of this 

 Journal) only repeats his former conjectures, and leaves A. oatesi as it is, 

 practically an undescribed species, though technically not a nomcn nudum. 



Therefore I have worked out a careful scheme of measurements to make, 

 and different points of feathering to examine, and asked Mr. Henry E. Dresser 

 to examine type specimens of the geese above referred to. 



With his usual friendly kindness Mr. H. E. Dresser measured and compared 

 the types, recording the results. Comparing the information thus received 

 with my ample series (more than fifty) of the Bean-geese of Kolyma's delta 

 I can now state quite positively : 1st, that Anser oatesi, Rickett, is only a 

 synonym of A. serrirostris, Swinhoe ; 2nd, that it has nothing to do whatever 

 with A. brachyrliynchus, Baill. ; 3rd, that Kolyma birds are true A. serrirostris, 

 Swinh.; therefore 4th, that A. serrirostris, Swinh., has the pale preapical 

 band of the bill yellow. 



In the following table I give measurements — in millimetres — of the following 

 specimens :- — 



I. — Anser brachyrliynchus, Baill., $ ad., No. 348, 19th June 1900, Spitsbergen, 

 coll. by Svensk. Zool. Polar Exped., in my own collection, measured by 

 me (as all other, when not otherwise stated). This specimen, so far I could 

 ascertain, is the largest on record. 



II. — A. carneirostris, Buturl., ad., No. 4672, 15th April 1906, Ufa Governm. 

 Eur. Russia, coll. by Count A. Tolstoi, in my collection. 



III. — A. segetnm, 6m., ad., No. 306, middle of June 1901, Pechora (" Pet- 

 chora ") estuary, by Mr. A. Novossilzev, in my collection. 



IV. — A. segetum, 6m„ maximum dimensions as given by Mr. S.N. Alpheraky 

 in his work " Geese of Europe and Asia." 



V. — A. serrirostris, Swinh., £ ad., 28th June 1905, Alazeia riv., N. E. Siberia, 

 No. 288, by Mr. K. F. Roznowski, in my collection, — the smallest adult male 

 among much more than hundred shot by my expedition. 



VI. —A. serrirostris, Swinh., 9 ad., No. 1959, 5th June 1905, Kolyma's delta, 

 by myself and in my collection, the smallest adult female shot. 



VII. — A. serrirostris, Swinh., being cotype of A, oatesi, Rickett, sex (?) ad., 

 November 1891* Foochow, China, by Mr. C. C. B. Rickett, in the British 

 Museum, measured by Mr. H. E. Dresser. 



* So recorded from the label ; in original description given '• January ". 



