BIRDS. 83 



These birds seek a nestiug grouucl aloug tlie course of the Lower Anderson Eiver and the 

 neighboring region along the Arctic ccast. 



Anser albifko^w gambeli (Hartl.). American White-fronted Goose (E^sk. 

 Lftk-hhU). 



In early seasons the first White-Aonted Goose readies the Yukon mouth and the vicinity of 

 Saint Michaels by April 27, as'iu 1877, but the usual time is from the 5th to the Sth of May. 

 From about the 10th of May they arc very common, and remain to breed in considerable numbers 

 all along the Alaskan shore of Bering Sea and on the Arctic coast of Point Barrow, where they 

 are plentiful, arriving the last half of May. It was taken on the Commander Islands by Stejneger. 

 During the summer of 18S1 a number were found feeding upon Saint Lawrence Island, and they 

 also nest on the Siberian shore in the vicinity of Bering Straits. During the migrations they occur 

 at various points along the Aleutian chain, but are not known to breed there. Dall found their 

 eggs all along the Yukon, from Fort Y'ukou to the sea, and it is well known as a widely-spread 

 species, breeding all around the Arctic mainland iiortions of America. 



Over the northern part of most of the Old World is found a closely-related race of this bird 

 distinguished by a slightly smaller bill aud darker colors. When the White-fronted Goo.se lirst 

 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, 1870, I found their eggs at the 

 Y'ukon 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, 

 sparingly covered with grass. Along the Y^ukou Dall found them breeding gregariously, deposit- 

 ing their eggs in a hollow scooped out in the sand. At the Y'ukou mouth and Saint Michaels 

 they were found breeding in scattered pairs over the flat country. Every one of the nests ex- 

 amined by me in these places had a slight lining of grass or moss, gathered by the parent, and 

 upon this the tirst egg was laid ; as the complement of eggs is approached the female alway* 

 plucks down and feathers from her breast until the eggs rest in a soft warm bed, wheu incubation 

 commences. The eggs vary considerably in shape and size. Some are decidedly elongated ;, 

 others are as decidedly oval. In color they are of a dull white, but ordinarily present a dirt\; 

 brown appearance from being stained in the nest. 



The following measurements show about the extent of IJie variations in size. The eggs 

 measured are from a very large series taken in the vicinity of Saint Michaels: Maximum, 3.45 by 

 2.28 ; miuimum, 2.98 by 2.10. Within these limits there are innumeraWe gradations. 



The young are pretty little objects, and are guarded with the greatest care by the i)arents, 

 the male and female joining in conducting their young from place to place aud in defending thuai 

 from danger. 



The last of June, in 1877, I made an excursion to Stewart Island, near Saint Michaels, aud 

 while crossing a flat came across a i)air of these geesi- lying pione upon the ground in a grassy 

 spot, with necks stretched out in front and their young crduching prettily all about them. Very 

 frequently during my visits to the haunts of these birds the parents were seen leading their young 

 away through the grass, all crouching and trying to make themselves as inconspicuous as possible. 



At Kotzebue Sound, during the Corwin's visit, in July, 1881, old and young were very com- 

 mon on the creeks and flats at the head of Escholtz Bay. 



The downy young has the middle of the crown and entire back, including the upper surfiice 

 of the wings aud outer side of thighs, sooty-brown with an olive shade. From the bill a baud 

 extending back through the eye is of a slightly darker shade than surrounding feathers. Nape 

 aud back of neck olive yellow. Eutire lower surface rich lemou-yellow washed with lighter on the 

 abdomen. A full grown young of the year, taken the 1st of September, is much like the adult, 

 except in lacking the white at the base of the bill and the dark mottling on the breast. About 



