460 LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



mens, having 13 to IG rectrices, vary in size, so as to lead directly up to the smaller examples, 

 possessing 18 to 20 reclriccs, ' lieing wholly impossible to separate specimens by size alone. 



The accompanying iigures, which are lil'e-size, are intended to show extreme variations in the 

 shape ot" the bill in this diminutive race. 



There appear to be other variations of this species, which are hardly to 'be classed as geograph- 

 ical races, but which seem to owe their characteristics to hyln-idization with other species, or to an 

 abnormal degree of individual variation. Among these may be classed the — 



Bcrnicla Iciicoloevm, Murray, White-Frilled Goose, Ed. New Phi. Jour. IX. April, 1859, 226. 



Sp. Char. Similar to the conmion Canada Goose of the United States in markings, but larger. 

 Chin from rami of lower mandible, cravat on sides and beneath the jaws, and extending along 

 under side of neck nearly to end of Idack portion, white, becoming narrower and spotted with 

 black ; under eyelid 1)roadly white ; lower part of Jieck pale dirty lavender, upper ])art of breast 

 paler ; lower part and belly almost white ; or breast and belly pale lavender, with a T)road white 

 band across breast ; legs brown ; web bright yellow. Length 40.00 inches ; upper mandible, above 

 2.50 ; wing, 19.25 ; tarsus, 3.00 ; first phalanx of middle toe, 1.50. 



Differs from B. caiuidensis in larger .size, and plumage paler throughout ; brown replacing black, 

 etc. The white of head is more extended, reaching along nearly the whole throat and to lower 

 jaw ; the interdigital spaces yellow, not black, etc. 



Bernida Barnstonii, Boss, Canad. Nat. VII. 1862, 152 ; Nat. Hist. Review, 1862, p. 28. 



" This bird was shot at Fort Simpson (on the Mackenzie). It is of very large size, with the 

 breast of a fright fawn-color. The delta of feathers running up into the lower mandible is white, 

 instead of black, as in B. canadmsis. The tail is of sixteen feathers. The Indians consider it a 

 distinct species from the Canada Goose. It seldom flies in parties of more than five or six." 



Bernida Canadensis. 



Our common "Wild Goose has a very extended range tlirouglioi;t the whole of Xorth 

 America, occurring from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, and from the At- 

 lantic to the Pacific. Abundant upon nearly all the interior waters, it breeds in 

 variou^s parts of the country as far south as latitude 42° N., and even farther south 

 than this parallel in favorable localities, and throughout all the regions north. 



Eichardson found it abundant, in pairs, throughout the Tur Countries up to a high 

 parallel of latitude. It associates in flocks only on its first arrival, and feeds on all 

 kinds of berries. Early in the spring its crops are found to be filled with the farina- 

 ceous astringent fruit of the Eloiagnus argentea. The inhabitants of the wooded and 

 swampy districts depend principally upon this Goose for sul)sistence during the sum- 

 mer. It nmkes its first appearance in flocks of twenty or thirty, and is readily decoyed 

 within gunsliot by the hunters, who imitate its call. About three Aveeks after its 

 first appearance it disperses in pairs throughout the coiuitry to breed, retiring at the 

 same time from the shores of Hudson's Bay. It Avas found nesting as far north as 

 Fort Anderson and the Lower Anderson River ; but the statement of Dr. Richardson, 

 that it is not knoAvn to Vn-eed on the Arctic coast, remains unchallenged. 



In July, after the young birds are hatched, the parents moult, and vast numbers 

 are killed in the rivers and small lakes l)efore they are able to fly. When chased by 

 a canoe and obliged to dive fre([uently, this bird soon becomes fatigued, and makes 

 for the shore to hide, thus falling an easy prey to its piirsners. In the autumn it 

 assembles in flocks on the shores of Hudson's Bay for a month previous to its depar- 

 ture for the south. In its migrations it annually resorts to certain resting-places, some 

 of wliich are freqiiented both in the spring and autumn, and others only in the spring. 

 While on the SaskatchcAvan it generally builds its nest on the ground; some pairs 



