68 INDIAN SPOKTING BIRDS 



than the Old World ones, are nowadays commonly referred to 

 a so-called species, Anser gamheli. Should this large, and 

 especially large-hilled, form turn up here, the entirely light bill 

 will distinguish it from all our large species except the grey-lag, 

 and the orange feet from that. It goes as far south as the 

 Mediterranean in winter, and at that time is one of the familiar 

 wild geese that worry farmers and bother shooters at home. 



Dwarf Goose. 



Anser crythivpus* 



This small edition of the white-fronted goose is hardly bigger 

 than the Brahminy duck, and being of a decidedly dark brown 

 colour, is recognizable at a considerable distance. Close at 

 hand, it will be noticed that the eyelids are of a yellow colour, 

 forming a noticeable ring round the eye ; this forms a positive 

 distinction from the large white-fronted goose, and besides, the 

 bill is small even in proportion to the smaller size of the bird, as 

 usual in small geese, while the wings are longer, reaching even 

 beyond the end of the tail. It is not, therefore, surprising to 

 hear that it is more active in flight than the big geese. 



These points will distinguish even the young bird before the 

 white on its forehead has developed, though all the Indian 

 specimens I have seen have had it; and this white patch when 

 present is another good distinction, being much longer and 

 extending up on to the crown, instead of developing mostly in 

 a transverse direction. The legs are orange as in the large 

 species, and the bill is said to be orange in the adults and reddish 

 grev in the young, but in those live specimens I have seen, 

 mostly fine adults, the bill has been a very bright rose-pink or 

 cerise red, though one or two, no doubt younger, certainly so in 

 one case, had it flesh-colour. I expect the colour changes after 

 death, or is individually or locally variable, as in the grey goose, 

 which in Europe has often an orange bill. 



The dwarf goose is only a winter visitor to India, and if 

 anything rarer than its larger relative ; very few have turned up 



* minutus on plate. 



