ANATID.E— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 113 



paper on the birds of northern Dakota, Dr. McChesney, referring 

 to its migrations, mentions as a singular fact that he never 

 observed this goose during the spring migrations when the 

 Snow Goose is so abundant, and with which it makes its ap- 

 pearance in the fall — being afterwards constantly found mixed 

 with the flocks of that goose, and associating with it on terms of 

 such familiarity as to suggest the query whether there may not 

 be a doubt as to its distinctness from that species, and whether 

 it may not in reality be the young, or a semi-melanotic condi- 

 tion. He saw flocks of the Snow Goose covering acres of ground, 

 with here and there a Blue Goose scattered through the flock, 

 and he also saw them associated on the wing. "The case of 

 this goose and that of the Black-bellied Plover" says he, 

 "constitute the only exceptions falling under my notice of a 

 migrator}' bird appearing in the fall that does not pass this 

 region during the spring migrations. This goose departs 

 with the preceding about the end of October." On the 

 other hand, Prof. Cooke says that it migrates through the 

 Mississippi Valley, and winters along the Gulf coast, in mild 

 winters extending up to northern Mississippi and southern 

 Illinois;" and that "during migration it was noticed at Burling- 

 ton, Towa, where bulk arrived March 20, 1884" — thus showing 

 that, nearer the Mississippi River at least, it does pass north- 

 ward in the spring. 



The breeding ground of the Blue Goose is not known with cer- 

 tainty, but, according to Mr. Barnston, the Indians of the Hud- 

 son's Bay district report that it is the country lying in the 

 interior from the northeast point of Labrador, where extensive 

 swamps and impenetrable bogs prevail, and where these geese 

 ni'st on the more solid tufts interspersed through the morass, 

 safe from man or any other than winged enemies. 



Chen hyperborea (Pall.) 



LESSER SNOW GOOSE, 

 Pomilar synonyms. Lesser Snow Goose ; White Brant. 

 Anter hyperboreua Paul. Spio. Zool. vlli, 1767, 25, pi. 65 (Eastern Siberia ;Z -As. 



ii. 1896, 297. Bw. \ Rl( B. P. B. A II, 1831, 167.— NtJTT. Man.il, 1884. 844.— AUD. Orn. 



BiOtf, lv.1888, 562, pi 581; B nop. 1839,278; B. Am. vl. 1848, 212, pi. 881.— lUmn. B. N. 



\m. 1868, 760; Oat. v Lm. B. I860, No 563. Coobb, ttej neok List, 1873, 



No, - N w. 1874. 648.— Henbh. ZooL Wheeler's Exp 181 



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