242 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



gray of under surface, and smaller amount of white on neck collar which 

 consists merely of a restricted patch at each side. 



Voice — A guttural car-r-rup, or r-r-r-ronh ; ruJc-ruh (Forbush, 1912, p. 183). 



Nest and eggs — Like those of Black Sea Brant. 



General distribution — Northern Hemisphere. Breeds on Arctic islands 

 north of latitude 74 degrees and west to aboxit longitude 100 degrees, and on 

 the whole west coast of Greenland; winters on the Atlantic coast from Massa- 

 chusetts south to North Carolina, rarely to Florida; has been recorded in the 

 interior from Manitoba, Ontario, Colorado, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, 

 Indiana, and Louisiana; accidental in British Columbia, California and Bar- 

 badoes (modified from A. O. U. Check-list, 1910, p. 87). 



Distribution in California — One known instance of occurrence: A specimen 

 taken on Areata Bay, Humboldt County, January 30, 1914 (H. C. Bryant, 

 19Ud, p. 183). 



The Eastern Sea Brant is a common bird along the Atlantic Coast 

 of North America but it has been recorded only once from California. 

 Mr. "West Dean of Eureka, while hunting near Bird Island, Humboldt 

 County, on January 30, 1914, shot an adult male of this species from 

 a flock of Black Sea Brant {Branta nigricans). It was prepared as 

 a study skin by Mr. Franklin J. Smith, a taxidermist of Eureka, and 

 then presented by the owner, Mr. Otto Feudner of Oakland, to the 

 California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. 



The Eastern Sea Brant closely resembles its western relative, the 

 Black Sea Brant, but can be distinguished from the latter by its 

 lighter-colored under surface which contrasts strongly with the black 

 breast, and by the white neck collar which is incomplete both in front 

 and behind. The lower surface of the body of the Black Sea Brant is 

 much darker and the collar is continuous across the front of the neck. 



The habits of this eastern bird are similar to those of its western 

 congener. 



The Eastern Sea Brant is of no importance here other than for 

 the general interest which attaches to a rare straggler. It is possible 

 that individuals of this species have found their way to California 

 previously and even that they have been shot by hunters, but, not 

 being recognized, no record of their occurrence has been kept. Hunters 

 will do well to keep a lookout for the species, especially when hunting 

 Black Sea Brant, as instances of the occurrence of the eastern bird are 

 of interest to science. We believe that there is no likelihood of the 

 Eastern Sea Brant ever becoming numerous enough here to be classed 

 as more than a rare visitant. 



