766 U. S. p. E. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOUY — GENERAL REPORT, 



of the cheeks is more restricted to a crescent on each side behind the eye, the concavity anterior, 

 instead of having a larger patch of more triangular shape, and confluent on the chin with its 

 fellow. The chin, however, has a black peninsula, nearly an isthmus, and the strait is spotted 

 with black. It is quite possible that cases might occur where the white would be divided into 

 two patches, although this would be rare. The colors of the present bird are darker than as 

 assigned to leucopareia, with less of the paler edging of feathers. 



It is not to be denied, however, that the probabilities are very great that the present species 

 is really distinct from leucopartia of Brandt, the form of the cheek spot being usually very 

 constant in Bernicla. The great inferiority of size is also to be taken into account. Brandt's 

 specimen measures 30 inches ; the bill above 1.50 ; the wing, 16.00 ; the tail barely 6.00 ; the 

 tarsus, 3.30 ; middle toe, 2.75 ; width of bill at base, .75. It was obtained in the Aleutian 

 islands. Should the bird from Port Townsend be a different species, it may be appropriately 

 called Bernicla occidentalis. The name might be taken from the white collar but for the possi- 

 bility that this may not be always constant. 



The bird described by Mr. Cassin as B. leucopareia agrees much more closely with Brandt's 

 bird in size and coloration than the subject of the present article. The white patches on the 

 cheek are smaller, and separated on the chin by a narrow longitudinal black band. The length 

 is 23 inches and the wing 15. The figure indicates shorter toes and bill than in the Canada 

 goose. 



List of specimens. 



BERNICLA HUTCHINSII, Bo nap. 



Hntchins' Goose. 



Anser kuic/iinsii, Rich. F. Hor. Am. II, 1831, 470.— Nutt. Man. II, 362.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 526; pi. 277.— 



Iii. Syn. 271 .—III. Birds Am. VI, 1843, 198 ; pi. 377. 

 liernida hutchinsii, Bom. List, 1838. 

 Anas bernicla, var. () Rich. App. Parry 2d voyage, I, 368. 



Sp. Ch. — Precisely similar to A. canadensis, but smaller. Tail of 16 feathers. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. 

 Length, 3M inches ; wing, 15.80; tarsus, 2.70; commissure, 1.76. 

 JIah. — Northern and western regions of North America. 



In the specimens of Hutchius' goose before me I can detect no difference of form from the 

 Canada goose, excepting in the smaller size and less number of tail feathers. The toes are 

 rather shorter. In one supposed specimen from California tlie white cheek patches are separated 

 interiorly by black spottings. 



There are some discrepancies in the accounts of Richartlson and of Audubon respecting this 

 goose. According to the i'ormer, it has 14 tail i'eathers, and the wing measures 14 inches. Mr. 

 Audubon's specimen had IG tail feathers, the wing measuring 16.75 inches. Of the skins 

 enumerated in the accompanying table, No. 9956 agrees very closely with Richardson's account, 



