

IK. 



CANADA GOOSE. 



a specimen was obtained by the Bangs brothers in the Boston market in the sprnig of 

 1876. This specimen was unfortnnately entirely plncked, excepting tlie liead, winch 

 tliron-h the kindness of the Messrs. Bangs, I liave now l.efore me, and of wliicli I liave 

 given'a colored figure (Seepage 108, tig. 211). This species occurs regularl.y in Greer, 

 land, however, and hence it may be looked for as an occasional visitor to our coast. 



Fiii. 31. 



Illustrating the inferior larjTi.x of a urale Canada Goose (Bernicia canmlensis) taken in Maine in April, 

 1894. A, inside view of larynx and inside view of one bronchial tube, T, the other having been removed, o, 

 being the open space in the trachea, B ; D, is the os transversable ; i, bronchial, lialf rings. B, Opposite side 

 view of larynx, b; and outside of bronchial tuhe.T : c, is a cartiliginousbonc : B. tlie trachea ; i. the bronchia] 

 half rings. C, is a view of the entire larynx, L, seen from below, with ])oth bronchial tubes T, T, entire ; i, i. 

 are the half rings ; A, A, a portion of the lungs : B, the trachea. D, is a view of tlie larynx. i„ seen from 

 above, with the transparent portion of the bronchial tube.-,, T : b, is tlie trachea. All figures arc life size. 



Notes on the Canada Goose, Beunicla Canadensis. The inferiiM- lai-ynx of this s]iecies ]iresents 

 some of the most singular characters that I have ever seen among birds. Tlie trachea is straiiilit until it 

 enters between the fork of the furcula : then it bends quite abruptly upward until a little abm-e the level of 

 the coracoids. It tlien continues sti'aight to the inferior larynx. This arrAngemcnt can readily be 

 understood by referring to the diagram given at fig. ^fl. Ill, Here T, T, T. is the ti-acliea. F. is the 

 furcula. 11, its upper terminations which articulate with the coracoids, that have been removed : E. I. is the 

 keel of the sternum : 0. the articulating furrow of one coracoid (the right). This bend in the trachea is not 

 very unusual among other birds, but the next feature to which I wish to call attention is quite remarkable, 

 and this is the shortness of tlie first, and, in fact, in this species, the only vocal muscle, the stcrno-trachcalis. 

 This h. s its origin about 2.00 above the inferior larynx, near the base of the caracoids and is thus quite near 

 the costal process of the sternum to which it adheres, being, in fact, only 1 2;-) lung, wliich is comparatively 

 the shortest example of this muscle that I have ever found. In the diagram (fig. oO) this muscle is marked 

 A, and the costal process C. The inferior larynx is destitute of even a single muscle of any kinih It 

 consists of a bony ring somewhat forked behind on the margin above (See fi<j. ■!!. D. l). but straight below 

 (See ib. C, l). On either side is a projection, (ib. C, i.), formed by a cnrtili'ginous half ring, that is ."jO 

 long, and that is in the form of a crescent, (ib B, c). Behind this cartilegiiious half ring is a soft space 

 rather semi-luna in form, which rests on a straight, liony half ring, to which adheres the first pnrtiun of 



