BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 75 



CHEN HYPERBOREA NITALIS (Forster). (169a.) 

 GREATER SNOW GOOSE. 



In nearly every migration from the north of the Lesser Snow 

 Geese there has been occasionally an individual shot where 

 the measures have been greater than those given for the species, 

 some of which reach the figures given for the Greater species, 

 yet in habits I have discovered no difference whatever between 

 them. I wait for more light on the specific differences upon 

 which the classification rests The measures hitherto given by 

 all authorities have been: 



Length, 30; wmg, 16.30; tarsus, 3.12; commissure, 2.10. 



Habitat, whole of North America. 



ANSER ALBIFRONS GAMBELI (Hartlaub). (171a.) 

 AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



In the summer of 1876, I found a mounted specimen of the 

 male of this species in high plumage, in the collection of Mr. 

 Shroeder. a taxidermist of St. Paul. He could tell me nothing 

 about its history except that he obtained it of a local sports- 

 man in the previous spring. Since then I have met with occa 

 sional small flocks of them, both in spring and autumn, in the 

 height of the anserial migrations, and have received reports 

 from a number of observers in different sections of the state. 

 Mr. James Thompson, of Lanesboro, shot one on his mill pond 

 on the llth of April, 1883. Mr. Clague, to whom reference has 

 already been made, residing at Herman, in Grant county, has 

 shot several near that place, and Mr. John Cutter, of Minne- 

 apolis, has bagged them at Big Stone, and on the Minnesota 

 bottoms within an hour's ride of his residence. Yet they should 

 not be regarded as by any means common. 



I am quite familiar with the White-fronted Goose in its 

 favorite region on the Pacific coast, where it is rather the 

 choicest of its kind for eating, and where immense numbers are 

 brought into the markets of Sacramento, Stockton and San 

 Francisco. It was of this species that the largest number was 

 obtained at a single shot of a "California Duck Gun" which 

 has ever been recorded. Hunted constantly in the "Tules" as 

 they have been for many years, they have long since become 

 shy, and exceedingly difficult of approach. To meet this, an 

 ox is trained to obey the sutta voce commands of the gunner 

 as he walks beside him, keeping step with the forelegs by 



