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BERNICULA CANADENSIS (Baird). 



THE CANADA GOOSE. 



Specific Character. — Head and neck deep black, the former with a white 

 patch covering the throat and extending up over the cheeks to behind the eyes, 

 growing gradually narrower above, the upper outline usually more or less trun- 

 cated ; this white patch, however, sometimes interrupted on the throat by a nar- 

 row black stripe or isthmus. Very rarely a broad-white band more or less 

 distinctly indicated, crosses the forehead between the eyes. Back of neck fre- 

 quently bordered below by a white collar more or less distinct. Upper surface 

 grayish brown, varying from almost cinereous to umber, each featiier bordered 

 terminally by a paler shade ; lower parts with the exposed surface of about the 

 same shade as the tips of the feather of the upper part, the concealed portion of 

 the feathers of the shade of the prevailing colour above — this much along the sides 

 and on the flanks. Primaries and their coverts plain dusky, the former growing 

 nearly black terminally. Anal region, crissum, and lower tail coverts immaculate 

 pure white. Tail, plain deep black ; rump, plain blackish slate. Bill and feet 

 deep black. 



Total length about 20 to upwards of 40 inches ; wing 13.60 to 21.00 ; culmen 

 .95 to 2.70 ; depth of maxilla at base, .60-1.20, width, .52-1.20 ; tarsus, 2.10-3.70 ; 

 middle toe, 1.80 to 1.40; tail feathers, 13 to 20. 



Habitat. — Temperate North America in general, breeding in the United 

 States and British provinces principally to the far north. 



As will be observed in the description of the Canada goose, great variations 

 in size are given, greater it may be than in any of the domesticated kinds which 

 are called varieties. The variety called Hutchin's goose has exactly the same 

 plumage as B. Canadensis, the only difference being that the bird is smaller, so 

 that the best ornithologists are in doubt as to whether var. Hutchinsii should be 

 considered a variety. The only character which appears constant is that the 

 smaller bird has usually from thirteen to sixteen tail feathers while the larger 

 averages eighteen or twenty. Their habits are exactly alike, and they are found 

 together in the same flock. If, then, we may consider these two birds as one and 

 the same, under the name of our common wild goose, it is found distributed over 

 the w^hole of North America from its most southern to its most northern limit 

 and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. It is said to breed as far south as 

 latitude 42° N. and throughout all the region north. 



This bird migrates north at the end of March or early in April, returning in 

 November. During its journey north it often stops at any favourable feeding 

 ground for a week or two ; in fact, all along the north shore of Lake Erie it is no 

 uncommon thing for large flocks of these birds to frequent fall wheat fields for a 

 week or two making sad havoc of the wheat in low places in the field. They are 

 very wary, and difiicult to get a shot at in the field, but a good many are shot 

 every spring at such places as Long Point, St. Clair Flats, etc., etc. In the fall 

 they also rest on their way in these same localities, but not in such great num- 

 bers. Its food consists of leaves, grasses, seeds of water plants, etc. When well 

 grown and fat it will often weigh twelve pounds. It nests on the ground, laying 

 usually about six eggs. Dr. Coues says, this goose has been known in the upper 

 Missouri and Yellowstone region to breed in trees. In Ontario this bird is usually 

 shot in the spring, which seems a most unsportsmanlike proceeding, as the birds 

 are then on their way to their nesting-places. They are certainly shooting the 

 goose which lays the eggs from which come the autumn flocks. 



