EUROPEAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 115 



HABITS. 



The Blue Goose, which was lor a long time considered onl\ a j)hasu of phnnage of 

 the Snow Goose, lias recentl\- jjeen demonstrated b_y Mr. Rolit. Ridgwaj' to be a perfectly 

 Talid sjjecies, that occurs in siunmer in the interior of the northern portions of North 

 America, east of the Rocky Momitains, and, aeeording to Mr. Ridgway, it l)reeds al)out 

 the Eastern shores of Hudson's Bay. It winters in the interior ot the United States, west 

 of the Mississippi River, but oceasicnially appears on the Atlantic Coast. It does not 

 appear to differ in general habit from its allies. 



ANSER ALBIFRONS. 

 European White-fronted Goose. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. ch. Size, large, about that of the American White-fronted Goose, diflfering from it, in having 

 a slightly shorter bill. Nests and eggs are indistinguishable from that of Anser gamboli. 



HABITS. 



The White-fronted Goose of Eiu'ope is occasionalh" taken in Greenland hut never 

 appears to reach the continent of North America. 



BERNICLA LEUCOPSIS. 

 Barnacle Goose. 



Fi(i. 21). 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Size, medium. Tail, normally of si.xteen feathers. Color. Front and sides of head and chin 

 white, with a dark line from base of bill through eye. Remainder of head and neck, all around, black. 

 Back and wings also black, with the feathers of the latter bluish at base, and margined with whitish. Rump 

 and tail black. Upper and under tail coverts, and under parts, white, tinged with gray on sides. Bill and 

 feet, black, iris, brown. Se.xes similar. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length, 27.00 to 28.00 ; stretch, 54.(X) to 55.00; wing, Hl.nn to 17.00 ; tail, 5.50 tod.OO; bill, 1.25 to 

 I.UO ; tarsus, 2.50 to 2.75. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known at once liy white checks with the black line through eye. Sec fig. 2il. 



NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Ecos. Six to eight in number, elliptical 

 in form, yellowish cream in color, 2.75 by 1.S5 to 2.85 to 1.87. 



HABITS. 

 The Barnacle Goose has been taken at Hudson's Bay (American Naturalist. Vol. H. 

 1868, p, 49), in North Carolina (American Nat., Vol. V, 1871, p. lU), on Long Wand 

 (Bull. Nat. Club, H, 1878, p, 18), hi Hllinois (Forest and Stream, Nov. 28, 1870). And 



