WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE 



275 



Iceland and Greenland being apparently the most southern breeding- 

 resorts in the Atlantic basin. In North America the typical bird is 

 replaced by a somewhat larger race {A)iser albifrons gambelt), some- 

 times regarded as a distinct species. In winter the present species 

 migrates south to much the same extent as the grey lag goose. 

 Although on the island of Islay one of the commonest of the wild geese, 

 this bird is only a rare visitor to the Outer Hebrides and both the 

 east and west coasts of Scotland as well as the eastern side of England ; 

 from St. Kilda only a single example has been recorded. On the other 

 hand, to the great 

 bogs of all parts of 

 Ireland this goose 

 is a regular winter- 

 visitor which often 

 makes its appearance 

 in large flocks. In 

 the spring of 1897 

 an enormous party of 

 migrating birds was 

 observed passing over 

 Londonderry, of 

 which the centre was 

 composed of plovers, 

 curlews, and other 

 waders, while the 

 flanking consisted of 

 wild geese, belonging 

 probably for the most 

 part to the present 



species. It has been suggested that some Irish specimens belong to 

 the American race. 



With the exception that its cackling is more rapid — whence the 

 name of laughing-goose, by which it is sometimes called, — this species 

 differs in no essential respects in the matter of habits from the grey lag 

 goose. 



A smaller form of white-fronted goose, known as Anser erytJiropus 

 (or ininuttis), inhabiting eastern Europe and Asia, is now generally 

 regarded as a distinct species. In length it is only 21 inches, 

 and it has a relatively smaller, and generally darker plumage, with the 

 white at the root of the beak extending to the top of the head between 

 the eyes. One specimen of this lesser white-fronted goose was killed 



MOUNTED IN THE ROWLAND WARD STUDIOS 



WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



