WATER BIRDS. 119 



forming a conspicuous cross-bar; under parts light brownish-gray, becoming lighter on 

 the belly and pure white on the under tail-coverts; wings, tail, bill, legs and feet clear 

 black; iris brown. Sexes alike. Young: Very similar to the adults, but the black less 

 pure and the white of cheeks and throat more or less mixed with dark feathers. 

 Length 35 to 43 inches; wing, 15.G0 to 21; culmen 1.55 to 2.70; tarsus 2.45 to 3.70. 



62. Hutchins' Goose, Branta canadensis hutchinsii (Rich.). (172a) 



Synonyms: Goose-brant, Little Canada Goose, Little Wild Goose, Small Gray Goose. 

 — Anser hutcliinsii. Rich., 1831. — Bernicla hutcliinsi, Woodh., 1853, Baird, 1858. 



Precisely like the Canada Goose in everything but size, the present 

 species being from 25 to 34 inches long, the wing 16 inches or less, and the 

 weight often not more than 3 or 4 pounds, and rarely exceeding 6 pounds, 

 while the Canada Goose averages 8 or 9 pounds and often reaches 12 or 

 even more. 



Distribution. — North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, and 

 migrating south in winter chiefly through the western United States and 

 the Mississippi Valley; northeastern Asia. 



The claim of this bird to a place in the Michigan fauna appears to rest 

 mainly on the statement of the late W. H. Collins, who in a letter to Dr. 

 Gibbs stated that he "had it, taken at St. Clair Flats." It was also reported 

 from Michigan by Stockwell (Forest & Stream, VIII, 23, 380). It is a 

 fair presumption that the species does occur here occasionally, since it has 

 been taken in practically all the surrounding territory. Sportsmen who 

 have the opportunity to examine freshly killed Canada Geese would confer 

 a favor if they would weigh and measure any unusually small specimens 

 and send the notes to us with the address if possible of the owner of the 

 specimens. 



The specimen noted by Prof. Cook (Birds of Michigan, 2d ed. 1893, p. 

 47) as in Moseley's list of IMichigan birds in the Kent Scientific Institute 

 at Grand Rapids, proves to have no locality on the label, and may or may 

 not have been taken in the state; it is, however, only a small specimen of 

 canadensis, not hutchinsii. 



Hutchins' Goose nests much farther north than the Canada Goose, along 

 the lower Mackenzie Valley and on the shores and islands of the Arctic 

 Ocean. Its nest resembles that of the Canada Goose, and is usually placed 

 on the ground, although sometimes the old nest of a Fish Hawk, or some 

 other large bird, in a tree, is used. The eggs are commonly four to six, 

 white or buffy white, and average 3.18 by 2.10 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



In color and proportions of parts precisely like the Canada Goose, but averaging decidedly 

 smaller. 



Length 25 to 34 inches; wing 14.75 to 17.75; culmen 1.20 to 1.90; tarsus 2.25 to 3.20. 



63. Brant. Branta bernicla glaucogastra Brchm. (173a) 



Synonyms: Conunon Brant, Black Brant, Eastern Brant, Brant-goose, White-bellied 

 Brant. — Bernicla glaucogastcr Brehm., 1831. — Branta bernicla, Bann., 1870. — Anser 

 bernicla, Nutt., Aud. ^Bernicla brenta, Steph., 1824, Bd., Ridgw., Coues. 



Distinguished from any other goose by the entirely black head and neck 

 with merely a small patch of white streaks or flecks on each side of the 

 upper neck. 



