484 ANSERID^. 



THE CANADA GOOSE. 



ANSER CANADENSIS. 



Bill, head, quills, tail, and most of the neck, black ; a white jjatch on the chin 

 and throat extending upwards to the ear-coverts ; upper i)lumage brown .; 

 upper part of the breast white, passing into pale brown ; all the tail-coverts 

 white ; feet dark lead colour. Eggs dull white. 



Large flocks of these birds have been observed from time 

 to time in various parts of Britain, and although their 

 head-quarters are in the western world, there seems to be 

 no sufficient reason to suppose that they do not, like others 

 of the tribe, occasionally migrate in this direction. In a 

 domesticated state they are commonly to be met with. In 

 habits they differ little from other wild Geese. They 

 breed in the northern states of North America, and 

 migrate southwards in summer. In the fur countries their 

 arrival is hailed with acclamations, not only as heralding 

 summer, but because during their stay the inhabitants 

 depend principally upon them for subsistence. So nu- 

 merous are they, that many are often killed at a shot, and 

 the usual price of a Goose is that of a single charge of 

 ammunition. Like several other species already mentioned, 

 they have strong local attachments, and annually resort to 

 certain passes and resting-places. They generally build 

 their nests on the ground, but occasionally in trees, de- 

 positing their eggs in the deserted nests of Eavens or 

 Fishing Eagles. 



THE HOOPER SWAN. 



CYGNUS FERUS. 



Whole plumage pure white, the head and nape sometimes slightly tinged with 

 yellow ; lower half of the bill quadrangular, yellow, upper black ; lore 

 and a great portion of the edge of the upper mandible yellow; irides 

 brown ; legs black ; tail of twenty feathers. Youyig birds have the plumage 

 grey; lore flesh-colour. Length five feet; breadth seven feet ten inches. 

 Eggs dull white, tinged with greenish. 



The ancient fable that Swans sing most sweetly before 

 their death did not survive the age which invented it. 



