WHITE FRONTED, OR LAUGHING GOOSE. 347 



This species is also common to the hyperboreal regions 

 of both continents, migrating at the approach of winter into 

 milder climates, being very common in Holland in autumn, 

 but rare in Germany and France ; and merely accidental in 

 its visits to the coasts of the United States. Early in the 

 spring, however, they were seen by Mr. Say in the lower part 

 of Missouri. According to Richardson, this species passes 

 at the same time, or a little later than the Snow Goose, 

 through the interior of the fur countries in large flocks to 

 its breeding places, which are in the woody districts skirting 

 the Mackenzie river, to the north of the 67th parallel, and 

 also the islands of the Arctic Sea. It is not common on 

 the coasts of Hudson's Bay. From its rarity in the United 

 States it probably winters on the coast of the Pacific, in 

 common with the preceding species. The Indians imitate 

 its call by patting the mouth with their hand, while they 

 repeat the syllable loali ; and the resemblance of this note to 

 the laugh of a man has given rise to the trivial name. 

 Its food and habits are similar with those of the preceding 

 species. 



The length of the Laughing Goose is about 27 inches ; the wing 

 16 ; bill above, 2 inches 4 lines ; tarsus 2 inches 7^ lines. Head and 

 neck pale greyish-brown. Dorsal plumage clove-brown, with paler 

 edges ; secondaries tipped with white ; primaries greyish-black, with 

 white shafts. Front, region of the bill, eye-lids, tail coverts, and all 

 the under plumage white, the belly blotched with deep black. Bill 

 and feet orange, the tip of the former flesh-colored. — A specimen 

 killed on the 17th of May, by Richardson, at Fort Enterprise, had 

 all the belly light wood-brown blotched with black. — The bill as 

 long as the head, its depth at the base two thirds of its length ; the 

 commissure curved and gaping, permitting the teeth to appear in the 

 middle. Five or 6 rows of teeth on the palate. Wings, with the 

 3d quill the longest. 



