230 BULLETIN 130, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



were alarmed at our presence so near his mate, who was undoubtedly near 

 by, but in the almost impenetrable forest and underbrush v,'as not to be 

 found. 



Harry S. Swartli (1922) found these geese abundant at the mouth 

 of the Stickine River in southeastern Alaska ; he writes : 



In our descent of the river, the first white-cheeked geese were seen at the 

 boundary, August 16. From there on down an occasional small flock was 

 noted, but not until the mouth of the river was reached were they seen in 

 any numbers. At Sergief Island they were abundant. Flocks of large size 

 frequented the marshes at that point, changing their feeding ground as the 

 tides advanced and receded. These local movements covered but a few miles 

 at most, and, of course, were gone through with daily as regularly as the 

 tides. Aside from this hourly shifting, which kept some flocks on the wing 

 practically throughout the day, there was no appearance of migration. Flocks 

 of white-cheeked geese were never seen to depart in a manner suggestive of 

 the beginning of along flight, nor were any seen arriving as though from a 

 distance. 



During the last two weeks in August the geese were still molting extensively. 

 In some the breast and belly were almost entirely devoid of feathers, only 

 the down remaining, and nearly all were renewing the tail feathers. Flight 

 feathers were fully grown, or at any rate sufficiently so for flying. Presumably 

 the birds would not gather upon these open and exposed marshes until they 

 could fly ; nesting and the beginning of the molt, including loss of the remiges, 

 probably takes place in more sheltered localities. 



Winter. — Of their winter habits he (1913) says: 



Since so many of the water birds of the coast of southern Alaska and 

 British Columbia are resident the year through in that general region, it is 

 very probable that the white-cheeked goose belongs in the same category. In 

 a letter recently received from Mr. AUen E. Hasselborg, a resident of Juneau, 

 Alaska, and familiar with the native birds and mammals, he confirms this view, 

 saying that the geese are about as abundant in the Sitkan district in winter as 

 in summer. During the winter they frequent the more sheltered south and 

 west facing bays and inlets, avoiding localities exposed to the cold land winds, 

 while in summer they are of more general distribution. That this subspecies 

 does not perform as extensive migrations as other members of the group is 

 evident from its nonoccxirrence in California. If it occurs in this State at 

 all it should be found along the extreme northern coast. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range. — Pacific coast region of southeastern Alaska, from 

 the vicinity of Prince William Sound southward, to British Colum- 

 bia (Queen Charlotte Islands). Intergrades on the north with 

 minima and on the east and south with canadensis. 



Winter range. — Apparently the same as the breeding range. This 

 seems to be a local form of very restricted habitat and non-migratory. 



Egg dates. — Southern Alaska : Three records, May 22 to June 18. 



