180 DIFFERENCES IN CRANIA OF BRITISH SWANS. 



tinct species, although as I never subsequently met with ei- 

 ther the bird or cranium, I could not identify it with any 

 recognised or previously described, till Mr. Yarrell having 

 mentioned to me that he had determined a new swan, con- 

 founded with, but in reality perfectly separable from Cygnus 

 olor, I had no doubt that mine was the same species, and on 

 showing it to him, after a careful investigation, he had no he- 

 sitation in confirming my views with regard to their identity. 

 Since writing the above I have dissected the lately charac- 

 terised goose, which affords additional proof of the utility of 

 the study of the cranium, and also furnishes a corroboration 

 that those authors who have not separated the geese from the 

 bernacles are correct ; this species forming a beautiful con- 

 necting link between the two : the plumage, colour of the 

 beak, and legs, assimilate to the true geese, but the greater 

 portion of its anatomy is that of the bernacles, particularly the 

 head, as, were it not that it is one third larger, it might be 

 taken, without attentive consideration, for that of Anser Ber- 

 nicla, which it exactly resembles in the form of the bill, the 

 height of the skull, and, wherein it particularly differs from 

 all the other true geese, the large size of the super-orbital 

 glands, and corresponding enlargement of the processes of 

 the lachrymal bones and the depressions over the eyes for 

 their attachment and insertion, although not near so much 

 developed as in Anser brenta, in which these glands not 

 only meet, but lap considerably over each other, and occupy 

 a depression formed between the orbits for their reception. 



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[The new goose referred to above was described by Mr. Bartlett at the 

 meeting of the Zoological Society, January 8th, 1839, under the name of 

 Anser phcenicopus, or pink-footed goose. It bears a close resemblance to 

 the bean goose Anser segetum, for which it is probable that it has often been 

 mistaken ; but it may readily be distinguished from that species by the legs 

 and feet, which, in a living or recently-killed specimen, are of a reddish 

 flesh colour or pink, while the legs and feet of the bean goose are of a yel- 

 lowish orange ; the bird is smaller, the bill shorter, and the plumage more 

 inclined to grey than in the bean goose. Mr. Bartlett stated that he had 

 examined twenty specimens of the new species, in all of which the above 

 distinguishing characters were present. — Ed."] 



