82 NOETH AMERICAN DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 



Branta leucopsis ( Bechst. ) . Barnacle Goose. 



This species inhabits the northern parts of the Old World, and in 

 migration reaches Greenland, where it has been taken repeatedly on 

 the eastern coast around Scoresby Sound, and a few times on the west- 

 ern side at Julianshaab and Fiskernoes. 



The barnacle goose has been taken several times in the United States, 

 and though some of these birds may have escaped from captivity, it is 

 not probable that all are escapes. The species is recorded as taken at 

 Currituck Sound, North Carolina, October 31, 1870; near Jamaica Bay, 

 Long Island, about October 20, 1876; North Chatham, Mass., Novem- 

 ber 1, 1885; Marshtield, Vt. ; Montreal, Canada; Okak, Labrador; 

 Racine, Wis., December, 1850; and one at James Bay, near Rupert 

 House. 



PMlacte canagica (Sevast. )• Emperor Goose. 



Breeding range. — This is an Arctic species, with a very restricted 

 range in the vicinity of Bering Sea. It breeds along the Alaskan coast 

 from the mouth of the Kuskokwim River north to Cape Espenberg 

 and the southern shore of Kotzebue Sound. The principal breeding 

 ground is near the mouth of the Yukon River, but a few pass west to 

 St. Lawrence Island and to the Asiatic coast, and breed on the Chuk- 

 chi Peninsula in the vicinit}' of East Cape. 



Winter range. — The Aleutian chain is the main winter home of the 

 species, outside of which a few are found Avest to the Near and the Com- 

 mander Islands and east to Bristol Bay and Sitka. Stragglers wander 

 south and have been taken twice on Vancouver Island and three times 

 in California — Eureka, winter of 1884; Gridley, November 1, 1895; San 

 Francisco market, October 8, 1900. Four were taken and a dozen or 

 more noted, evidentl}^ members of a straggling flock, Decem1)er 12, 

 1902, in the Hawaiian Islands. 



Sjyring migration. — At the extreme southwestern part of the range 

 the northward movement begins late in March. The latter part of 

 April the emperor goose moves from the southern to the northern 

 shores of the Aleutian Islands and remains there for several weeks. 

 As soon as the melting snows expose mud flats on the coast of Norton 

 Sound the birds make the ocean flight to their breeding grounds, 

 where they arrive from Ma}^ 15 to 25. Eggs have been taken June 5, 

 and }■ oung birds late in June, 



Fall migration. — The geese regain their feathers after the summer 

 molt about the middle of August, and a few at once start south. The 

 earliest date on the Aleutians is August 31. Most of the species 

 remain at the breeding grounds until October and then are forced 

 slowly south by the approach of winter, scarcely reaching the south- 

 western limit of the usual winter range before early December. 



