^°i%^^^ ] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 423 



166. Oidemia perspicillata (Linn). Surf Scoter. 



The remarks made under 0. deglaiuU ljap[)eii to be, iu almost every 

 respect, equally api)licable to tlie {ueseiit species, tbe ouly diti'ereuce 

 noted being tbat generally less bay and featbers was observed in tbe 

 composition of its nest, while only one contained as many as ei^ht eggs, 

 tbe usual number being from five to seven. Both Scoters were very 

 abundant on the seacoast, especially the last mentioned. 



169. Chen hyperborea (Pallas). Lesser Snow Goose. 



The Esquimaux assured us tiuit large numbers of "White Wavies" 

 annually breed on tbe shores and islands of Esquimaux Lake and 

 Liverpool Bay, but, strange to say, we never observed any in tbe Bfir 

 ren Grounds proper or on the shores of Fr^inklin Bay. The Esqui- 

 maux brought in to Fort Anderson about one hundred eggs, which they 

 claimed to have discovered among the marshy flats and sandy islets on 

 the coast of the former, as well as from similar localities on and in the 

 vicinity of the lake of that (Esquimaux) nam 



169a. Chen hyperborea nivalis (Forster). Greater Snow Goose. 



The foregoing remarks are also applicable to this goose, and, no doubt 

 owing to both species having until lately been considered as mere varie- 

 ties, there has been some mixing up of their eg;gs, a question which 

 iiiture explorations will doubtless solve. It is, however, believed that 

 here, as well as on Lake Athabasca, the former precede tbe latter by 

 some days in their arrival in spring. 1 have always regretted that 1 

 was unable to carry out my intention of devoting at bast two seasons 

 to a i^ersoual exploration of the breeding grounds of this and many 

 other birds which resort to tbe so called " Esquimaux Lake" and the 

 shores of Liverpool Bay. 



170. Chen rossii (Baird). Ross's Snow Goose. 



A male bird of this species was shot at Fort Anderson on 25th 

 May, 1805, where it is by far tbe least abundant of the genus during 

 the spring migration. The Esquimaux assured us that it did not breed 

 ill Liverpool Bay, and it may therefore do so, along with the great bulk 

 of tbe two larger species, on the extensive islands to the northwest of 

 the American continent. At Fort Chipewyan, Athabasca, however, it 

 is the last of the geese to arrive in spring, but among the first to return 

 in the autumn. 



171a. Anser albifrons gambeli (Hartlaub). American White-fronted Goose. 



A considerable number of nests of this "Gray Wavy" was discovered 

 in the vicinity of fresh- water lakes in timber tracts, as well as along 

 the Lower Anderson Eiver to the sea. Some were taken on tlie Arctic 

 coast, and several ;ilso on islands and islets in Franklin Bay. In all 



