688 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — LAMELLIROSTRES — ANSEEES. 



abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissuiu into white, shaded along the sides 

 of the body ; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray 

 tips ; rump darker ; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts 

 blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base. Length 24.00 ; extent 48.00 ; wing 13.00 ; 

 tail 4.50; bill 1.33; tarsus 2.25; middle toe and claw about the same. Europe. In Nortb 

 America, chiefly along the Atlantic Coast, being more maritime than other U. S. geese, but 

 still found inland on the great lakes and rivers. U. S. only in winter, and during the migra- 

 tit)ns, when abundant. Breeds in higli latitudes, to the Arctic Coast. 



B. b, nig'ricans. (Lat. m</ncaws, being blackish. Fig. 476.) Black Buant. Similar to the 

 last ; black of jugulum extending over most of under parts, fading on belly and crissum, without 

 abrupt line of demarcation on breast ; white neck-patches usually larger and meeting in front. 

 Size of the last. Both coasts ; very abundant on the Pacific side, not common on the Atlantic. 

 Migrations and breeding resorts the same. 



B. canaden'sis, (Of Canada. Fig. 477-) Canada GoosE. COMMON Wild GooSE. Tail nor- 

 mally 18 - feathered. 

 Bill, feet, head, and 

 neck black ; on the chin 

 a broad white patch 

 mounting on sides of 

 head behind eyes, some- 

 times broken on chin ; 

 not extending forward 

 to jaws ; white touches 

 usually on eyelids. Up- 

 per tail-coverts definite- 

 ly white ; rump black- 

 ish ; tail-feathers black. 

 General color brown- 

 ish-gray, paler or more 

 ashy-gray below, all 

 the feathers with paler 

 gray or whitish edges, . 

 those of sides of body 

 usually darker than 

 rest of under parts, the 

 lower belly and crissum 

 definitely white. Iris 

 brown. Length 3 feet 

 or more ; extent 5 feet ; 

 bill about 2.00. 



'r02a. 



Fig. 477. — Canada Goose. (From Lewis.) 



tail 7.00 ; tarsus 3.00-3.50 ; middle toe and claw more 



wing 18-20 inches : 



N. Am. at large. This is the most generally distributed and on the whole the most abundant 

 goose of our country. It breeds in various parts of the U. S., sometimes in trees, but the 

 greater number of individuals pass further north to nest. Eggs 5 to 9, usuaUy 5 or 6, ellip- 

 soidal, smooth, pale dull greenish, about 3.50 X 2.50. 



B. c. occidenta'Us. (Lat. occidentalis, western.) Larger White-cheeked Goose. Similar 

 to the last ; of equal size, and tail 18-feathered. Coloration averaging darker than in the last, 

 the under parts especially, against which the white of the anal and crissal region is well-defined. 

 Black of neck bounded below in front by a white half-collar. Bill averaging shorter, and 

 tarsus relatively longer. The best samples are well marked ; others shade into the common 

 form. Pacific coast, especiaUy Alaska. (The bird here indicated is S. occidentalis Bd. Whether 



