218 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



crescentic bars of dark brown and white tips, flanks barred light 

 brown and white. l>ill, legs and feet black. Wing 390-425. 

 Tarsus 62-75. Bill 28-33. 



Breeds. — Spitzbergen, E. Greenland, on ledges of cliffs. 

 Migrates ; occurs on passage Iceland, vScandinavia, Finland, 

 N. Russia, Baltic Provinces and Germany. Winters British Isles, 

 Holland, Belgium, France ; rarely to Hungary, Egypt, Spain 

 and Morocco. 



Branta ruficollis (Pallas). Red-breasted Goose. Ger. 

 Rothalsgans ; Hal. Oca collo rosso. 



^ $ Upper parts and breast, throat and vertical band on 

 face black ; a patch on cheeks (encircled by white) and chest 

 chestnut ; fore face, a pectoral band, tips of wing coverts and 

 abdomen white. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 345-365. 

 Tarsus 52-56. Bill 23-26 (H.). 



Breeds. — W. Siberia. Winters abundantly Caspian Basin ; 

 occurs on passage Volga Delta and S. Russia, casual in W. 

 Europe. Very rare Britain. 



Alopochen. 



"Teeth" of bill weakly developed; nail broad, occupying 

 end of bill ; a spur on wing-angle. 



Alopochen aegyptiaca (L.). Egyptian Goose. 



^ 9 Above reddish brown, lower neck and upper back 

 yellowish brown with fine darker wavy lines ; scapulars grey 

 brown and chestnut ; primaries and primary coverts black ; 

 secondaries, outer web bronze green, inner web brown ; upper 

 wing coverts white, with a black subterminal band on the greater ; 

 beneath white, foreneck grey brown, forebreast and flanks 

 yellowish with fine brown vermiculations ; in centre of breast a 

 chestnut spot ; axillaries white ; under wing coverts, inner white, 

 outer black ; under tail coverts yellowish. Bill red with dark 

 brown edges. Legs and feet reddish flesh. Wing $ 400-430, 

 ? 350-385- Tarsus 70 ? to 90 c?. Bill 45-53 (H.). 



Reside7it in Nile Valley, Palestine (Dead Sea) and C. and 

 S. Africa. Accidental in Europe and British Isles (? escaped 

 birds). 



