Greater Snow-Goose 67 



In Colorado the Snow-Goose is a bii-d of passage in spring and autumn, 

 chiefly on the eastern plains ; it is also reported by Sullivan at Grand 

 Junction about March 4th and October 20th (Rockwell). It was noted 

 at Fort Lyon and Loveland in the plains by Carter, and in Middle Park 

 (Cooke), while there is an example in the Colorado Museiun of Natural 

 History at Denver, killed at Barr Lake by J. T. Mason. Henshaw, 

 many years ago, was informed that it wintered in San Luis Valley, 

 but this has never been confirmed. 



Habits, — Goss states that he has seen thousands of 

 these Geese in the fall and early spring in the Arkansas 

 Valley, feeding on the winter wheat, pulling up the young 

 and tender blades with a sudden jerk and doing a great 

 deal of damage. The flight is noisy and usually in the 

 form of a V, headed by a recognized leader. 



Greater Snow-Goose. Chen hypohoreus nivalis. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 169a — Colorado Records — Cooke 97, pp. 58, 

 196 ; Henderson 03, p. 234 ; 09, p. 226. 



Description. — Only differing from Chen hypoboreus in its larger 

 dimensions — i.e. length 27 ; wing 17-0 or more ; tail 6-5 ; culmen 2-5 ; 

 tarsus 3-25. 



Distribution. — Breeding north of Hudson Bay — exact locality 

 uncertain ; in winter chiefly east of the Mississippi Valley, and on 

 the Atlantic coast to the Greater Antilles. 



In Colorado this eastern bird is only a straggler. A Goose shot 

 by Z. X. Snyder east of Greeley, March 20tli, 1895, and another on 

 Boyd's Lake near Loveland, April 9th, 1899, by J. F. Campion, the 

 latter now in the State collection at Denver, both seem referable to 

 this subspecies. 



Ross's Goose. Chen rossi. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 170 — Colorado Record — Felger 07, p. 211. 



Description.— In plumage resembling the Snow Goose but much 

 smaller; outline of frontal feathers on the base of the bill nearly straight, 

 not convex ; base of the bill studded with numerous fleshy papillae, 

 and the cutting-edges of the bill not black and not showing the horny 

 teeth so plainly. Length 21; wing 14-5; tail 5-0; culmen 1'5 ; 

 tarsus 2-5. 



Distribution. — Exact breeding grounds unknown, probably the 

 Arctic islands between 120" and 110'' W. long. ; south in winter, 

 chiefly on the coast of California. 



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