348 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



BEAN GOOSE. 



(Anser segetum, Bonap. Synops. No. 317. Anas segetum, GmeL. 

 Lath. Ind. sp. 28. Temm. ii. p. 820. Bean Goose, Lath. Syn. 

 vi. p. 464. Penn. Arct. Zool. No. 472. L'Oie Sauvage, Buff. Ois. 

 ix. p. 30. t. 2. PI. Enlum. 985. Saat Gans, Naum. Vog. t. 42 

 fig. 61. Oca Salvatica, Stor. degli. Ucc. v. pi. 561.) 



Sp. Charact. — Dark ash, beneath whitish; rump blackish; the 

 folded wings extending beyond the tail ; bill long, depressed, 

 black and orange, nail black; tail of 18 feathers. 



This species inhabits the Arctic regions of both con- 

 tinents, migrating periodically to and from more genial cli- 

 mates. It is rarely seen even in the most northern parts of 

 Canada, and was not met with by Richardson in the Arctic 

 expeditions which he accompanied, though Hearne speaks 

 of seeing it in Hudson's Bay. It probably winters on the 

 north western coast of America. In England, Germany, 

 France and Holland it is common as a bird of passage. 



The Bean Goose passes the period of reproduction in the 

 regions of the Arctic zone, nesting in marshes and heaths, 

 laying 10 or 12 white eggs. It is said to breed in great 

 numbers in Lewis, one of the Hebrides, and is very destruc- 

 tive to the green corn. Its food consists of both aquatic 

 and terrestrial vegetables, as well as seeds and grain. 



The length of this species is about 2 feet 8 inches. The head and 

 upper part of the neck is of an ashy-brown. Lower part of the neck 

 and beneath pale ash color. Top of the back, scapulars, and all the 

 wing coverts brown ash fringed with whitish. Rump blackish- 

 brown. Abdomen and beneath the tail white. Bill black at its base 

 and upon the nail, orange-yellow in the middle. Orbits blackish- 

 grey. Iris dark brown. Feet orange-red. 



In the young the head and neck is of a soiled yellowish-rufous. 

 All the plumage of a more pale cinereous. There is commonly 3 

 small white spots at the base of the bill. 



