BIRDS — ANSEEINAE — BERNICLA. 



763 



species, leaving the question of its relationship to be settled by fuller information respecting 

 the American geese generally. 



List of specimens. 



BERNICLA, Stephens. 



Bemkla, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII, ii, 1824, 45. Type Anas bernida, Linn. 

 Leucopareia, Reich. Syst. Avium, Int. 1853, prix. Type Anser Imcopsis, Bech. 



Cii — Bill about as long as head or shorter ; the commissure nearly straight ; the teeth of upper mandible concealed, except 

 perhaps at the base. Bill and legs black. 



The American geese, with black bills and legs, exhibit very great variations in size ; so much 

 so, indeed, as to render it very difficult to distinguish them by this character alone. The 

 variation in the shade of plumage in the same species is likewise considerable. 



Synopsis of species. 



A. Leucoblepharon, Baird. — Head and neck black. A large triangular patch behind the 

 eye, usually broadly confluent with its fellow beneath, the upper angle truncate. A few whitish 

 feathers on lower eyelid. 



* Tail of eighteen feathers. 



Bill elongated ; as broad at the base as height of upper mandible. Length of 

 culmen equal to the head, and nearly two-thirds the tarsus, which is equal to 

 the middle toe without its claw. Under parts ashy brown, passing almost 

 insensibly into white about anus. No white ring on throat canadensis. 



Bill short ; broader at the base than height of upper mandible. Culmen shorter 

 than head, about half the tarsus, which is longer than middle toe ^d claw. 

 Under parts dark brown, abruptly defined against white of the anal region. 



A distinct white ring on lower throat leucopareia. 



Tail of sixteen feathers. 



Similar to canadensis, but much smaller hutchinsii. 



B. Bernicla, Steph. — Head, neck, and jugulum, black. Middle of neck with a white 

 crescent on each side. Bill shorter than the head. 



Crescents of neck distinct. Upper parts brown, edged with paler. Beneath 

 grayish, sharply defined against the black of jugulum brenta. 



Crescents of neck confluent beneath. Above uniform brown ; belly nearly as 

 black as jugulum nigricans. 



C. Leucopareia, Keich. — Head, neck, and jugulum, black. Forehead, cheeks, and chin, 

 white. 



Feathers above ash color, terminated broadly with blackish and tipped with 

 white. Under parts nearly pure white; leucopsis. 



