THE CANADA GOOSE. 825 



not (inl)' recorded'' the presence of seventeen species of ducks and geese, but 

 securetl excellent photographs at close range of four species of the latter, 

 including the American White-fronted Goose. Mr. Fisher was astonished at 

 such a lack of suspicion on the part of the wildest species, l)ut careful investi- 

 gation convinced him that these were genuine recruits from the wilderness, 

 and they left in the spring without e\idence of having been spoiled by hospi- 

 tality. There's a policy which beats carnage ! and it guarantees good sport 

 too- — fiui for e\erybody, including the g(iose. 



No. 333. 



CANADA GOOSE. 



A. O. U. No. 172. Branta canadensis (Linn.). 



Synonyms. — "Wild Goosk." Commox Wild Goose. Honkkr. 



Description. — Adult: Head and neck glossy black; a large white triangular 

 patch on either cheek, the two usually confluent on throat — occasionallv an indis- 

 tinct white collar at base of black ; back and wings rich grayish brown ; fore-breast 

 and below lighter grayish brown, tipped with pale fulvous or grayish white; 

 heavier toned on sides, where presenting a shingled appearance and shading into 

 color of back; lower belly, under tail-coverts, longer upper tail-coverts and flanks 

 well up on rump, pure white; rump and tail l)lack ; primaries blackening at tips; 

 bill .black ; feet dusky. Tail 18-20- feathered. J imimturc: Similar, but white of 

 cheeks and throat more or less mixed with blackish. Length 35.00-42.00 (88g- 

 1066.8) ; wing 20.00 ( 508 ) ; tail 7.00 ( 177.8 ) ; bill 2.30 ( 5S.4 ) ; tarsus 3.55 (90.2). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size ; black head and neck with white cheek- 

 patches connected across throat, and large size distinctive. 



Nesting. — Nest: on the ground, on a clifl", or in a tree (a deserted Osprey's 

 nest and the like), lined with down. Eggs: 4-6, light greenish butt, or buffy 

 white. Av. size. 3.52 X 2.30 (89.4 X 58.4). Season: April ; one brood. 



General Range. — Temperate North .America, breeding in the northern 

 Lfnited States and British Provinces; south in winter to Mexico. 



Range in Washington. — Common migrant and winter resident east of the 

 Cascades; locally abundant in winter in the Big Bend, Palouse, and Horse Heaven 

 countries, and upon certain island refuges of the Columbia ; also sjiaringly resi- 

 dent and breeding; occasionally taken on Puget Sound during migrations and in 

 winter. 



Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle ; Cones. 

 Vol. n. p. IQ2.] Bcrnicla canadensis. Boie, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 

 1858. pp. 764 & 765. T. C&S. L'. Rh. D--. J. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. E? 



a. Bird'Lore, \'oI. VIII., Nov. 1906, p. 192 ff. 



