393 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Amoy Ornithology. 



Dec. 26tli. — A friend sent me a wild Gander shot on the flats 

 of the Changchow River. It agrees with Anser segetum, but 

 has the rump a deep blackish-brown, instead of grey. Its 

 lower neck and breast have the feathers ashy-grey, but so 

 broadly margined with pale yellowish-brown that the grey is 

 almost entirely concealed. Length 31*5 in., wing 18'5 in. 

 measured with the curve, 17"6 in. from cai-pus across to tip. 

 When closed, the wing extends to over "5 in. beyond tail, which 

 is of fourteen feathers, and about 7 in. long. Bill black, with 

 a pinkish-red ring behind the dertrum, '5 in. broad on the 

 upper, and "25 in. on the lower mandible. Legs very bright 

 orange, with black claws. Bill from vertex of frontal angle 

 2*8 in., from rictus 2'6 in., depth at base 1*5 in. Tarse 3*4 in., 

 middle toe and claw 3*2 in. 



Dissection. — Gizzard large and enormously muscular, kidney- 

 shaped, about 5 inches long by 3 broad, the strong muscles 

 being at top and bottom, leaving about 1 inch diameter of cavity 

 extending through the middle. Epithelium thick and rugose, 

 containing equal quantities of white siliceous grit, and pale 

 moss-like sea-weed nibbled small. Intestine thick, greenish 

 and watery. 



The 11th November was my last morning on the Duck- 

 ground, near the mouth of the river, and there was then not a 

 Goose to be seen. The same night a strong north-easter blew j 

 . and on the 12th the flats were alive with Geese, and the first 

 Goose of the season was shot. The measurements of this bird 

 were precisely similar to those of the one already mentioned in 

 total length and length of wing. It weighed over seven pounds. 

 Its bill and legs were same as above. Head liver-brown, neck 

 lighter. Feathers of the back margined with whitish. Tail- 

 coverts white. Rump deep blackish-brown. Tail deep brown, 

 margined and broadly tipped with white. Under parts dingy 

 yellowish. Under- wing deep cinereous or ashy-grey. Belly and 

 vent pure white. Entire stems of quills and basal half of those 

 of tail-feathers white. If Selby (Brit. Ornith. ii. p. 266) is 

 right in calling the rump of the western species deep grey, our 

 eastern bird may prove to be a distinct species, or at least a good 



