ANSERINE — THE GEESE — ANSER. 453 



According to Mr. G. Barnston, the Laughing Goose is seldom seen in the southern 

 portion of Hudson's Bay. At Fort York it is less rare, and at Fort Churchill quite 

 abundant. He regards it as being an inhabitant of Central and Western America 

 in the winter months, rather than of the eastern side. Therefore in its progress 

 northward it strikes upon the coast westward of James Bay, where it is seldom seen. 

 On the Lower Columbia and in Oregon, or in the Willamette Valley, it abounds with 

 other wild fowl, when, as frequently happens, the winter is mild and there is no 

 snow on the ground. It is included by Holboll among the birds of Greenland. 



Mr. Audubon states that during his residence in Kentucky not a winter passed 

 without his noticing a large number of these birds, and says that they are fre- 

 quently offered for sale at that season in the market of New Orleans. From the 

 numbers seen high on the Arkansas Kiver, he presumed that many winter beyond 

 the southern limits of the United States. In Kentucky birds of this species gener- 

 ally arrive before the Canada Goose, betaking themselves to the grassy ponds ; and 

 of the different Geese Avhich visit that country, these are by far the least shy. The 

 flocks seldom exceed from thirty to lifty individuals. The flight of this bird is firm 

 and well-sustained, and resembles that of Bemicla ca7iadensls. In its migrations it 

 passes at a considerable height, arranged in a flock of an angular shape, an old Gander 

 leading. On the ground it walks with ease, and when wounded runs with considerable 

 speed. While in Kentucky it feeds on beechnuts and acorns, and gleans in the corn- 

 fields for grains of maize. It also nibbles young grain and blades of grass. In its 

 stomach the broken shells of snails are also found. It leaves Kentucky a fortnight 

 sooner than the Canada Goose, starting at the same time with the Snow Goose ; but 

 the two species do not mingle with each other. 



Mr. Dall mentions finding the White-fronted Goose extremely common in Alaska. 

 It arrives at Nulato about May 6tli to 10th, and breeds all along the river gregar- 

 iously, laying from six to ten eggs in a depression in the sand, without any kind of 

 nest or lining. He found its eggs all along the river, from Fort Yukon to the sea, 

 and thence to St. Michael's. The Indian name of the bird is Tutsandh. Mr. Bannis- 

 ter speaks of it as one of the first of the Geese to arrive in the spring, when it soon 

 becomes abundant. He found it nesting on Stuart's Island, and probably also on 

 St. Michael's. 



Mr. MacFarlane found this species breeding abundantly on the Lower Anderson 

 River, on the Arctic coast, and among the islands in the Arctic Sea. He has fur- 

 nished notes as to their nesting, and from these it appears that the maximum number 

 of eggs is seven, and that in nearly every instance observed by him the eggs were 

 not deposited in a mere depression without lining, but that there was a plentiful 

 supply of hay, down, and feathers, although in some instances this lining was more 

 scanty than in others. The eggs were found in June and July. Those obtained as 

 iate as June 20 usually contained large embryos, but in a few instances they were 

 found to be fresh as late as July 6. When the nest was approached the parent bird 

 would exhibit signs of fear, flying off without noise at a low elevation. Mr. Mac- 

 Farlane found this bird breeding about the Lower Anderson River, in the vicinity of 

 fresh-water lakes. The nests Avere generally in wooded districts, and were a mere 

 depression in the ground, but well lined with feathers and down. 



The White-fronted Goose was also taken in the neighborhood of Fort Resolution 

 by Mr. Kennicott, May 24 and 26, 1860. 



Dr. Berlandier's manuscript notes seem to show that this Goose, in the winter, 

 inhabits only the wooded marshes formed by the overflowing of the Rio Bravo del 

 Norte, in the vicinity of Matamoras. 



