472 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



white, interrupted only on the nape, and with obliciue streaks running upward for an inch outside 

 the ring. Upper parts, breast, and abdomen uniform dark brownish plumbeous, the rump, prima- 

 ries, and secondaries approaching Wack. Anal region, crissum, sides of the rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts immaculate snow-white. Tail uniform black. Feathers of the sides and flanks with very 









Bernida nigricans. 



broad white tips, these almost concealing the dusky of the basal portion. Bill and feet deep l^lack ; 

 tarsi dark reddisli (black in life ?). Wing, 13.40 inches ; culmen, 1.35 ; tarsus, 2.50 ; middle toe, 

 2.00. Young (No. 61963, ?, Unalakleet, Alaska, Sept. 28, 1867 ; W. H. Dall) : Similar to the 



adult, but collar obsolete, greater wing-coverts and 

 secondaries broadly tipped with pure white, and 

 feathers of the sides and flanks uniform brownish 

 gray, without white tips. 



A very curious specimen from Northern Europe 

 (No. 57167, "hoher Norden;" Schluter Coll) is 

 exactly intermediate between this species and B. 

 brenta, and is probably a hybrid. It has the u^ni- 

 form colors of the body characteristic of the B. 

 nigricans ; but the shade is rather lighter, present- 

 ing a more appreciable demarcation of the black of 

 the jugulum, and has a more bluish cast — the 

 wing-coverts in strong and abrupt contrast with 

 the black secondaries. The white of the neck is in 

 two opposite isolated crescents, as in hernicla. It 

 measures as follows : Wing, 12.85 inches ; culmen, 

 1.25 ; tarsus, 2.30 ; middle toe, 1.75. 



This form is very closely allied to the 



common Brant Goose, and takes its place 



on the Pacific coast, where the latter does 



not seem to occur. The present species is quite rare on the eastern coast. Mr. Hen- 



/^ 



ll'iii 



