BIRDS OF 



with paler or brownish edging of the feathers; upper tail-coverts white ; head 

 and neck grayish-brown, the forehead conspicuously pure white (in the 

 adult ; dark in some states) ; bill pale-lake ; feet orange, with pale claws. 

 Length, about 27 inches ; wing, 16-18 ; tail, 5-6 ; tarsus, 2I-3 ; middle toe and 

 claw about the same. Only differs from the European in an average longer 

 bill (i|-2 instead of ij-i|. 



Hab. North America, breeding far northward ; in winter south to 

 Mexico and Cuba, 



The eggs of this species are dull greenish yellow with obscure darker 

 tints. They measure 3.00 by 2 00. 



Like the preceding, this species is only a casual visitor to 

 Ontario, the vast flocks which annually leave their breeding 

 grounds in the north at the approach of winter, apparently pre- 

 ferring to make their southern journey along the western coast 

 rather than by the Atlantic or the interior ; stragglers have been 

 observed at the different shooting stations, where they are looked 

 upon as rare. The specimen in my collection was killed at St. 

 Clair flats ; it is an immature male. 



Genus BRANTA Scopoli. 



61. BRANTA CANADENSIS (Linn.). 172. 

 Canada Goose. 



Tail normally eighteen feathers. Grayish-brown, below paler or whitish 

 gray, bleaching on the crissum, all the feathers with lighter edges ; head and 

 neck black, with a broad white patch on the throat mounting each side of the 

 head ; tail black with white upper coverts. Length, about 36 ; wing, 18-20 ; 

 tail, 6^-7^ ; bill, i|-2 ; tarsus, usually over 3. 



Hab. Temperate North America, breeding in the Northern United 

 States and British Provinces ; south in winter to Mexico. 



Nest usually on the ground, sometimes in trees. Eggs 5 to 6 ; pale dull 

 green. 



This is the wild goose of Canada, the bird we see in April 

 passing to the northwest in V-shaped columns, whose hoarse 

 honking we listen to with pleasure as a sure indication that 

 brighter skies and warmer weather are close at hand. 



A few are seen every season at the shooting stations at St. 

 Clair and along the north shore of Lake Erie, but if the weather 



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