BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 81 



very few of this species are noticed. Arriving presumably 

 about the same time, these are believed all to pass further 

 north to breed, and return to us about the first of October, or a 

 little earlier. I cannot estimate their relative numbers in 

 either migration, neither do I know of their having any dis- 

 tinguishable habit which enables me to identify them until they 

 are in my hands. This is also true of their specific characters, 

 only differing from Canadensis in the measurements, which 

 grade into each other through occasional individuals as has 

 been abundantly demonstrated. 



BRANTA BERNICLA (L.). (173.) 

 BRANT. 



While this species is not an abundant one within our bound- 

 aries, it is relatively a fairly represented one. Appearing in 

 small flocks simultaneously with the others about the 25th to 

 the 30th of March, they remain about three weeks, in the lakes, 

 ponds, and estuaries of sluggish streams, where considerable 

 numbers of them are shot for the market, after which they 

 move on to much higher latitudes to rear their young. Speci- 

 mens of the Brant may be found in the collections of the tax 

 idermists, and different scientific societies in the State which 

 have been secured in the migrations from year to year, repre 

 senting both sexes and age. In autumn they reach the north- 

 western portions of the State in considerable flocks about the 

 first of October and remain as late as any others before pass- 

 ing further to the south to winter. Mr. Washburn, who visited 

 the region of the Mille Lacs lake, and Otter Tail lake, in the 

 interests of this department of the Natural History Survey of 

 the State, extending his observations from the 9th of October 

 to the 10th of November, 1885, found these birds ' ' quite numer 

 ous near Fergus Palls," and similar reports reached me from 

 Grant, and Bigstone counties. 



It is rarely the case that some of them cannot be found in 

 the game stalls of the City Market during the periods of their 

 usual presence and migrations. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill, feet, head, neck, primary quills, tail, and body anterior 

 to the wings, black; secondary quills nearly black; on each 

 side of the middle of the neck, a small white crescent, streaked 

 with black; lower eyelids with a very faint trace of white 

 feathers; black of the jugulum abruptly defined against the 



