ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS. 147 



59. Branta canadensis hutchinsii (Rich.). 



182(i. — Anser cntiadensii Pall., Zoogr. Ross. As., II, p. 230. 



1831. — Anser hutchinsii Riciiakds. iu Sw. & Rich. Fauu. Bor. Amer., II, 470. — Bemicla 



h. Dall & Banxist., Tr. Chicag. Acad., I, 18(i9, p. 2'J5. — Fixsch, Abh. Ver. 



Brem. Ill, 1872, p. 20.— Seeb.. Ibis, 1882, p. 3o9.— Blakist. & Pryer, Tr. 



As. Soc. Jap., X, 1882, p. 96. — Blakist., Amend. List B. Jap., pp. 9, 33 



(1884). 

 1836.— Anser leucopardus Brandt, Bull. So. Acad. St. Petersb., I, 183(5, p. 37. — A. 



(Brrnicla) I. Id., Descr. and Icon. Auim. Ross. Nov. Aves, I, p. 13. — Bernida 



I. Blakist. & Pryer, Ibis, 1878, p. 212 —lid., Tr. As. Soc. Jap., VIII, 1880, 



p. 18\^.— Branta I. Ste.tnegkr, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1883, p. 70. 

 1872. — Branta canadensis var. liiitchinsii CouES, Key N. Am. B., p. 284. — Turner, Auk, 



1885, p. 158. 



A comparisou of imdoubted specimens of the true hutchinsii with 

 skins from the Aleutian Islands and Brandt's origiual descri|)tion, con 

 taining the dimensions of leucopareiiis, convinces me that tbese two 

 names are absolute synonyms, being diiierent, however, from what has 

 usually been called leucopareia by American writers. In 1858 Baird 

 (Hist. N". Amer. B., p. 7G5) headed a species leucopareia to which he 

 gave the name occidentalis in the text, suspecting it to be different from 

 Brandt's bird, as it really was. Afterwards the name leucopareia was 

 applied by Dr. Cones to a small short-billed race, specimens of which 

 were obtained at the PrybiloU' Islands, and herein American authors 

 have afterwards followed him when speaking of the same form as 

 occurring in Alaska, or, duiiUg the migrations, in more soutbern 

 localities along the western coast. This race, which probably is a 

 northern and northwestern form of occideiitalls, in the saine manner as 

 hutchinsii seems to be a northern and northwestern form of the true 

 canadensis has been called Bntn'a minima by Robert Bidgway. Both 

 this and hutchinsii {=Iettcop((7\'ia) inhabit Alaska, and hence the con- 

 fusion. 



Several marks have been given as distinctive of the two small forms, 

 hutcJtinsii and viinima, e. r/., the absence or })resence of a white ring 

 round the lower part of the neck, the absence or presence of a black 

 "bridge" separating the two white cheek-patches, &c., but none of 

 these characters hold good through an extensive series. The really 

 distinctive marks seem to be the relative length of the bill, it being- 

 longer in hutchinsii., besides the lighter surface of the latter form, the 

 color of the breast fading gradually into the white of the belly, Vv hile in 

 minima the limit is abrupt and well marked. Botli forms have sixteen 

 tail-feathers, and are about of the same size. 



