Swans and Geese of Hudson's Bay. 257 



well knowu with young birds, tender, soft, and compressible ; 

 while, on the other hand, the Anser ccerulescens comes down upon 

 the eastern coast, also in perfectly distinct flocks, the young birds 

 having a more diffused and darker blue colour, as well as being 

 of smaller size, with the beak softer and the flesh more tender. 

 About this there can be no mistake. In the spring, James's Bay 

 is frequently crossed by both species of the Wavy, at Capes Jones 

 and Henrietta Maria ; and occasionally two or three Blue may be 

 seen in a large flock of White on the Albany shore, while two or 

 three White may be also observed accompanying the full flocks 

 of Blue on the Eastmain side ; but this is not singular, as their 

 cry is almost the same, and they are certainly closely allied 

 species — but not varieties. By Indian report, a great breeding- 

 ground for the Blue Wavy is the country lying in the interior 

 from the N.E. point of Labrado, Cape Dudley Digges. Exten- 

 sive swamps and impassable bogs prevail there ; and the Geese 

 incubate on the more solid and driest tufts dispersed over the 

 morass, safe from the approach of man or other than a winged 

 enemy. 



The Anser gamhelii, or Laughing Goose, is seldom seen in the 

 southern part of the Bay. At York they are less rare, and at 

 Churchill frequent enough. Although I cannot speak with 

 certainty, I am disposed to believe that the Laughing Goose is 

 more an inhabitant of Central and Western America in the winter 

 months, than of the eastern side, and that therefore, in its progress 

 northward, it strikes upon the coast westward of James's Bay, 

 where it is seldom seen. On the Lower Columbia and in Oregon, 

 or Willamette Valley, they abound, with other wild-fowl, when, 

 as frequently happens, the winter is mild and there is no snow 

 on the ground. 



Of all the Geese enumerated, the Anser ccerulescens appears to 

 be the least known, and, it is possible, frequents in summer only 

 James's Bay and the Eastmain of Labrador, at the extremity of 

 which peninsula it hatches. Of its winter haunts I cannot 

 speak with certainty, not having seen them either on the Columbia 

 or on the noi'th-west coast. It may be that they adopt the sea- 

 coast in a lower latitude as a home, and are to be found towards 

 Southern Mexico. 



