ANSERINE — THE GEESE — BERNICLA. 473 



sliaw informed me that he has seen a single specimen of it in the Boston market ; 

 and there is, ]\[r. La^\'rence informs me, a fine specimen in the museum of the Long 

 Island Historical Society which was obtained on that island. It is rare in the 

 interior, but Captain Bendire mentions its occasional occurrence in Eastern Oregon. 



Mr. E. Browne includes it in his list of the birds of Vancouver Island. He men- 

 tions having seen one of these Geese, apparently quite tame, stalking about the 

 Unchaltaw Indian village in Discovery Passage, in March, 18G6. It is known as the 

 Nulla by the Quakwolths, who also had a tame one in the village at Fort Eupert. 



According to Dr. Cooper, this species appears to resort, in winter, only to salt- 

 water bays. Dr. Suckley found it exceedingly abundant near the Straits of Fuca at 

 that season, and occurring more sparingly about the mouths of other bays as far 

 south as San Diego, w^here, in the winter of 18G1-1862, Dr. Cooper saw these birds 

 in large numbers. They appeared in October, and remained until April 20, the spring 

 being much more backward, and their departure taking place probably as much as 

 two weeks later than usual. He saw no other species in company with them during 

 the w^hole winter, though others were common on the prairies at some distance inland. 

 They appeared to feed almost entirely on the leaves and roots of the marine grass 

 (zostera) which abounds in that bay. Dr. Cooper supposes that they also feed on 

 small fish and shells, as they acquire a somewhat fishy, thoiigh not a disagreeable, 

 flavor. They were exceedingly wild, and fleAV so high that he only siicceeded in pro- 

 curing a single specimen. Their note is said to be a croaking cry, much less strong 

 than that of the other species. Dr. Cooper never saw any in the San Francisco 

 market, but he met with them about and outside of the Bay, in 1863, as late as 

 the 24th of April ; and he has every reason to believe that large numbers frequent 

 the fields of kelp which line the coast and extend out some miles from the shore. 



Mr. Kennicott, in a note dated Fort Yukon, May 19, refers to procuring three 

 specimens of this bird, known in that region as the "Eskimo Goose." He states 

 that it arrives there the latest of all the birds, and after nearly all the other Geese 

 have passed. It flies in large flocks, and very rapidly. The three specimens were 

 the first noticed that season, and the only ones killed, although two dozen or more 

 flocks of from twent3'-five to fifty were seen in all ; but in no comparison, in point of 

 numbers, with the other four species. This bird is said to pass La Pierre House in 

 immense numbers both in spring and fall. 



Mr. Dall states that this Goose arrives in immense flocks in the spring along the 

 sea-coast, and he shot one at Xulato, May 29, 1868 ; l)ut it w^as regarded as being 

 a very rare visitor on the Yukon. It passes Fort Yukon in the spring, as it does 

 St. Michael's, being present only a few days, and breeding only on the shores of the 

 Arctic Sea. ^Ir. Dall was informed that this species is not found at Fort Yukon in 

 the fall. He killed one at Unalaktak, Sept. 28, 1867, on the edge of the ice in a 

 small stream ; and mentions that he uniformly found this Goose lean, tough, and of 

 a disagreeable flavor. It is also very shy. The few that appear in Xorton Sound in 

 the fall are the last of the Geese, except the " Emperor Goose " (Ph'dacte canagica). 



Mr. Bannister mentions that he was told that this bird was far less abundant 

 than usual at St. Michael's the season he was there, when only a few were killed. 

 It arrived there the 12th of ^lay, almost the last of all the migratory birds ; and 

 was observed Sept. 23, 1865, on its return. It is said to come usually in immense 

 flocks, and to afford more profitable sport for a few days than all the other species 

 put together. The flight of the main body of these migratory birds is along the 

 western edge of St. Michael's Island, touching Stewart's Island, and then proceeding 

 directly northward, across the open sea toward Golovin Sound. 



VOL. T. — 60 



