4o6 SNOW-GOOSE. 



In 1884, and again in the severe winter of 1890-91, birds and even 

 flocks, were recognized on the wing by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson 

 and Mr. D. L. Thorpe in Cumberland, by Mr. G. Bolam and Sir 

 Ralph Payne-Gallwey in Northumberland, and by Mr. H. Sharp in 

 Yorkshire, while three appear to have visited Berkeley on the 

 Severn ; but no examples were obtained. 



The home of the Snow-Goose is in North America, where two 

 forms are found, differing only in size. The larger nests in the 

 Hudson Bay region, migrating southward — chiefly along the 

 Atlantic coast — in winter. The smaller, to which the specimens 

 obtained in Ireland clearly belong, breeds in Western Arctic 

 America and Alaska, visiting the country between the Pacific and 

 the Mississippi valley during the cold season. It is this race which 

 occurs in Japan and was obtained in North-eastern Siberia by 

 Pallas, who described it under the specific name hyperboreits {Clien 

 albatus of Cassin) ; and to this probably belong the Snow-Geese 

 which have from time to time been noticed in the Ural district, 

 (ireece, Germany down to Silesia, Heligoland and Holland. A 

 female was shot near Lister, South Norway, on September 24th 1889 ; 

 and in Southern France two have been procured out of flocks. One 

 or both forms go as far south as the Bermudas, Texas and Cuba. 



Mr. R. MacFarlane describes the nests as being placed near lakes, 

 in hollows formed in the sandy soil, and well lined with down ; 

 the eggs, usually 5 in number, are chalky-white : measurements 

 3*4 by 2*2 in. The young fly in the middle of August, and by the 

 end of September all have departed south. The food in summer 

 consists of green rushes, insects &c., and in autumn of berries, 

 especially those of Empetrum nigrum. Another member of this 

 genus, C. ccenilescens, differs only in having a varying amount of 

 lead-coloured markings irregularly disposed over its plumage ; and 

 it has been suggested that this and the Snow-Goose may be 

 coloured and white phases of the same bird, like those that exist in 

 the case of some of the American Herons. There is a third white 

 species, C. rossi, a very small bird. 



The adult has the quill-feathers black, greyish at the base, as are 

 also the coverts ; remaining plumage pure white, the forehead some- 

 times stained with orange-rust colour ; bill red, commissures black, 

 nail whitish ; legs and feet red. Length : male 28-30 in., wing 

 17-18 in. ; female 23-3-24 in., wing 15-16 in. The young bird has 

 the upper parts dull brownish-grey with darker centres to the feathers 

 of the back and wing-coverts ; under parts greyish-white ; bill black ; 

 legs and feet lead-colour. 



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