444 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



*184. Ft.lica americana, Gm.— American Coot. 



The Coot is an abundant constant resident of tlie valleys. The only 

 l^lace where I have seen it in the foot-hills is Salt Spring Valley reser- 

 voir, between Milton, Calaveras County, and Murphy's, altitude about 

 1,200 feet, and there only in winter and spring. 



76647 Id ad. i ■^Stockton | Apr. 24, 1878 



I ' I 



Family ANATID^ : The Swans, Geese, and Ducks. 



185. Cygnus americanus, Sliari>less. — Whistlinff Swan. 



I saw G. americanus in market November 6, 1878, and a few Swans 

 flying in November, 1878. 



The American Swan is the only Swan I have shot in California. I 

 may add, however, that I have not shot many. Ter years ago I hunted 

 all winter in Mason County, Illinois, and saw and heard Swans there 

 which impressed me as being different from Swans I had shot here.* 



186. Chen hyperboreus, (Pallas). — Snow Goose. 



The Snow Goose is abundant in California in winter. It arrives in 

 the valleys in October. Was first seen this year (1878) on the 12th of 

 that month. It usually remains until about May 1. 



187. Chen albatus, Cass. — Lesser Snoic Goose. 



Kegarding this obscurely known species, which appears to bear to C. 

 hyperboreus about the same relation that Branta hutcJiinsi does to 7>. 

 canadensis, Mr. Belding's notes give the follo^ring valuable information: 



'' Shot at Stockton, Oct. 18, 1878. Weight, 3 lbs., 1 oz. Flesh light 

 (iolored ; iiis bluish brown ; bill deep black. No companion of its kind 

 with it, but accompanied by a small flock of Mallard Ducks. I pre- 

 served the wings of one of this species at Marysville in the winter of 

 1874. It was killed during unusually cold weather, and the person 

 who shot it said that it was alone. I left the wings with a shooting club, 

 and last winter was told they had not been able to duplicate them ! I 

 was attracted by the dark centres of thetertials, their silky texture and 

 their length.. The color of the tarsi, their slenderness, and the color of 

 the flesh — to say nothing of the plumage t — makes me think it a very 

 different bird from A. hyperboreus (perhaps A. albatus). The tarsi were 

 pale dirty blue, or bluish clay-color." 



76654 I — juv.j Stockton ■ Oct. 18,1878 



188. Chen rossi, (Baird). — Boss's Snow Goose. 



[Mr. Belding says that according to the information of a friend, a 

 sportsman residing in Stockton, this Goose is '• quite common" on the San 



* The latter were probably C. huccmator. — E. R. 



tThe last character, however, is of no importance, the yoiaif/ of C. hyperhorens hav- 

 ing exactly the same colors. — R. R. 



