592 ANSER FERUS. 



the rump, and the upper tail-coverts white. The smaller 

 wing- coverts, the secondary coverts, the primary coverts, 

 alula, and lower wiug-coverts, are pale bluish-grey ; the 

 middle and hind part of the back of the same colour, more 

 tinged with blue. The anterior dorsal feathers, scapulars, 

 secondary coverts, and four rows of larger wing-coverts, are 

 dark brown, grey in their concealed parts, and narrowly mar- 

 gined with pale reddish-brown, or greyish-white. The pri- 

 maries are blackish-brown, the outer grey toward the base, 

 all with the shafts Avhite ; the secondary quills brownish-black, 

 the inner dark brown, grey toward the base ; the middle tail 

 feathers are dark grey, with narrow white margins, the white 

 gradually increases on the rest, enlarging more on their inner 

 webs, so that the outer is entirely of that colour ; the breast 

 is faintly barred, the edges of the feathers being paler ; on 

 the sides, under the wings, the feathers are greyish-brown, 

 edged with pale grey ; the tibial feathers are pale grey ; and 

 on the breast are two or three feathers which are black to- 

 ward the end. 



Length to end of tail, 33 inches ; extent of wings, 64 ; 

 bill, along the ridge, 2j, along the edge of lower mandible, 

 2h, its height at the base, 1^, breadth just behind the unguis, 

 li; wing, from flexure, 17^-; tail, 5± ; tarsus, 3; hind toe, 

 -14, its claw, -yV; second toe, 1-^, its claw, - 1 ; third toe, 3,l, 

 its claw, -i- ; fourth toe, 2^-, its claw, ^-. 



Female. — The female is considerably smaller, but other- 

 wise similar. 



Habits. — Whatever may have been the case formerly, 

 when it was said to be Aery abundant, and permanently resi- 

 dent in England, this species is not noAv of common occur- 

 rence in any part of Britain, and does not remain to breed 

 with us. In Ireland it " is of occasional but rare occurrence 

 in winter." Not being able to distinguish it at a distance 

 from the Bean and Short-billed Geese, I can say nothing re- 

 specting its peculiar habits, and, for the same reason, even 

 those which are common to it and them, cannot be spoken of 

 Avith certainty. However, this much may be said : — It makes 



