LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL. 189 



America by the larger form, where all the American geese of this 

 species were called gambelli. This was not a very satisfactory ar- 

 rangement, for the two forms were so much alike that it was very 

 difficult to distinguish them, and some European writers refused to 

 recognize them. Recently Messrs. Swarth and Bryant (1917) have 

 demonstrated that there are probably two subspecies of white- 

 fronted geese which spend the winter in California between which 

 there is a striking difference in size, and there are some other dif- 

 ferences. They have also shown that Hartlaub's name, ganibelli^ 

 belongs to the larger and the rarer of the two and that all of the 

 smaller white-fronted geese, which are far commoner, should be 

 called albifrons. 



The white-fronted goose has a wide distribution; in the eastern 

 half of this continent it is everywhere rare, but on migrations and 

 in its western winter range it is locally abundant; in much of its 

 breeding range in the far northwest it is one of the commonest and 

 best loiown of the geese. 



Spi'ing. — In writing of this species at Fort Klamath, Oregon, 

 Dr. J. C. Merrill (1888) says: 



Very common in April, the main flight occurring between tlie 20th and 30th, 

 and many flocks stopping to feed in the grassy meadows bordering the marsh. 

 The upper part of the valley is inclosed on the west and north by the main 

 divide of the Cascade Mountains and on the east by a spur from the same 

 range, aU averaging a lieight of over 6,500 feet. On stormy days, if the wind 

 was not blowing from the south, geese flying low up the valley had great 

 difficulty in rising sufficiently to cross the abrupt divide, and most of them 

 would return to the marsh and its vicinity to wait for a more favorable 

 opportunity. At such times geese of this and the next species gathered by 

 thousands and afforded great sport. The immense numbers of these birds 

 that migrate through western Oregon can not be appreciated until one has 

 seen their spring flight, which, I am informed, extends in width from the coast 

 inland about 250 or 300 miles. About 50 of this species were seen at the 

 marsh on May 23 and 20, on May 27 and June 3, after which none were 

 observed; their remaining so late excited general remark among the settlers. 



Nesting. — Of the arrival and nesting of this goose at St. Michael, 

 Alaska, Dr. E. W. Nelson (1887) writes: 



When the white-fronted goose first arrives in the north the lakes are but 

 Just beginning to open and the ground is still largely covered with snow. 

 The last year's heath berries afford them sustenance, in common with most 

 of the other wild fowl at this season. As the season advances they become 

 more numerous and noisy. Their loud call notes and the cries of the males 

 are heard everywhere. 



The mating season is quickly ended, however, and on May 27, 1879, I found 

 their eggs at the Yukon mouth. From this date on until the middle of June 

 fresh eggs may be found, but very soon after this latter date the downy young 

 begin to appear. These geese choose for a nesting site the grassy border of 

 a small lakelet, a knoll grown over with moss and grass, or even a flat, spar- 

 ingly covered with grass. Along the Yukon, Dall found them breeding gre- 



