900 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— LAMELLIROSTRES — ANSERES. 



C. hyperbo'reus. (Lat. hyperhoreus, beyond the north wmd.) Lesser Snow Goose. 

 Little Wavey. Form and coloration precisely as in the next to be described (Ji. nivalis) ; 

 average size less, but grading up to that of the next. Length about 25.00 ; wing 14.50-17.00 ; 

 tail 5.50; tarsus 2.75-3.25; bill 2.00-2.12. Chiefly western North America, but E. commonly 

 in the Mississippi valley, less regularly to New England (Auk, Apr. 1897, p. 207) and along 

 the Atlantic ccjast; breeds in N. W. British America and Alaska; U. S. in winter and migra- 

 tion; Japan; accidental in Ireland. (Co. Wexford, Nov. 1871; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1872, 

 p. 519 ; Co. Mayo, Oct. 1877; see Harting, Zool. 1878, p. 419.) Eggs about 3.00 X 2.00, 

 yellowish- white. Anser hyperhoreus Pall. 1769 ; Chen hyperborea Boie, 1822 ; A. 0. U. 

 No. 109. Anser albatus Cass. 1856; Chen albatus Elliot, 1867 ; C. hyperhoreus albatus of 

 2d-4th eds. of the Key. 



C. h. niva'lis. (Lat. nivalis, like snow, snowy, relating to nivis, snow.) Greater Snow 

 Goose. Red Goose. White Brant. Yellow Wavey. Common Wavey. Adult $ 9 : 



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V. \v 



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Fig. C29. — Ross's Snow Goose. (From " Wild Fowl of North America," by D. G. Elliot.) 



Bill carmine-red or pale purplish with a salmon tinge, the nails white, the "grinning" rece.ss 

 between the mandibles black. Eyes dark brown. Feet dull lake-red ; claws blackish. Plu- 

 mage pure white, the head usually found washed or stained with rusty-brown, like a Swan's; 

 ends of primaries black, their bases gray, like their coverts and spurious quills of thumb. 

 Young : Resembling C coerulescens, but head not white while other parts are colored ; tail and 

 its coverts white ; head, neck, and upper parts generally light gray, with darker shaft-streaks 

 and lighter edgings of the feathers, especially noticeable on the wing-coverts and inner secon- 

 daries; most under parts whitish, unmarked; bill and feet dark. Large: Length 27.00-31.00 

 or more ; extent 57.00-62.00 ; wing 17.00 or more ; tail 6.50 ; bill 2.35-2.65 ; tai-sus 3.00-3.50 ; 

 middle toe and claw the same. Weight 5 or 6 lbs. The dimensions grade down to those of 

 the preceding ; both vary much, and are specifically inseparable ; but their extremes are far apart, 



