VOL. III.] Geese which occur in California. loi 



My earliest Stockton date of its coming south is October 12; 

 my latest spring record is April 25. 



Mr. Morgan told me it arrived at Ensenada Oct. 12, 1884, and 

 that he afterward saw it on the Blythe estate on the Gulf of Califor- 

 nia. I have seen it in San Diego Cbunty, and believe it goes as 

 far south as Hutchins's goose. 



The notes of minima are much higher in pitch than are those of 

 hutchinsii. I noticed this the first time I ever saw them, in the year 

 1856, and upon asking my experienced hunting companion the name 

 of a flock of minima, as it darted and tumbled in great disorder 

 into the water, uttering the oft repeated notes which Mr. Nelson 

 calls " luk-luk," he said it was the little squeaking goose, a name 

 which I tried to give it in Partial List of Birds of Central California, 

 but by an error the name was printed squawking goose. This 

 goose is apparently generally known and distinguished from its larger 

 cousins by the sportsmen of the State. Cackling goose is an ap- 

 propriate name for it. I think it a good species. It breeds in 

 Alaska. 



Black Brant. Branta nigricans. This is a coast species, and 

 I doubt very much if it ever goes inland. It breeds on the arctic 

 shores of Alaska, and scatters along the coast to about three hun- 

 dred miles south of San Diego in winter. 



I have not seen any of the species between San Francisco and 

 the vicinity of San Diego, but a short distance north of San Fran- 

 cisco, at Bodega Bay, Mr. Palmer found it in abundance in March, 

 1885. 



It leaves Alaska and comes south between the middle and last of 

 September, according to Mr. Nelson, and remained at San Quin- 

 tin Bay to May 9 or 10 in 1881, though it dissapeared from San 

 Diego Bay April 15, 1884, and April 7, 1885, its departure having 

 probably been hastened by the persecutions of the hunters. 



It was until recently abundant in San Diego Bay in winter. Its 

 flesh has an oily or fishy taste. 



Emperor Goose. Philacte canagica. Collected at Humboldt 

 Bay in the winter of 1884 by Mr. Fiebig. This is the only known 

 occurrence of this northern species in California. 



