CANADA GOOSE. H; 



tlie outside of the bronchial tubes, (See ib. B). The bronchial tubes, in themselves, are the most 

 remarkable of any that 1 have seen, for in them tlie vibrating surface of tlie tymjianiform membranes have 

 reached the highest development possible. In fact, practically the entire surface of the tubes has become 

 vibrating membrane. This may be readily comprehended by referring to the cut, fig. 31. Here at C may 

 be seen the lower side of the tubes, T, t, where all of the unshaded portion is as thin as tissue paper and as 

 transparent as glass. The shaded portion at I, I, shows all that remains of the luilf rings of the bronchial 

 tube, five, and one imperfect one, and these, as seen at A, i, do not extend wholly round the tube, leaving a 

 portion of the tympaniform membrane to extend quite to the lungs (ib. C, a). Above, the tympaniforms are 

 widened, but narrow abruptly at a point where the half rings begin (See ib. D, t). The tubes also narrow 

 to about' .13 where they enter the larynx (See C, h). Here they are divided by a wide os transversalc, 

 that widens from below upward, but which does not support any semiluna membrane. See A, d, wliere the 

 inside of the left bronchial tube is given, the right having been removed, leaving the open space in the 

 larynx, 0. The outside of this tube is given at B, T. 



As there is no trace of any other laryngeal muscle, other than the sterno-trachealis, the Canada Goose 

 gives us a positive proof that this muscle has direct control of the vocal organs. The normal c mdition of 

 the large vibrating surface of the bronchial tubes is a constant tensified state, but is relaxed to a greater or 

 less extent in order to give the requisite nuidification to the sonorous voice of the goose, and on account of 

 this shortness they probably act more quickly. 



Every one who has given the subject any thought must have come to the conclusion that the voice of 

 the Canada Goose is of vast importance to it, as a species, as is, in fact, the voice of all gregarious birds which 

 migrate far, as it is by the cries whieii the older members utter that the younger and untried birds in the 

 flock are kept from straggling. This is especially true of the Geese which often pass quite above the 

 clouds in their aerial journeys. Now as geese require all of their strength to sustain themselves on their 

 protracted voyages, none can be wasted unnecessarily, hence we find that a vocal apjiaratus has become 

 evolved whereby loud sounds can be produced witli very little effort. To understand this matter thoroughly, 

 one has only to watch a rooster in the act of crowing and see what effijrts he is obliged to make in order to 

 eject his cry. These eflbrts are most of them necessary (excepting possibly the preliminary flapping of the 

 wings) as I have satisfied myself by an examination of the vocal organs. In order to give a single crow 

 a rooster puts forth more strength than a wild goose would in honking many times, for with sucli vocal 

 organs as I have described the Canada Goose must honk nearly as easily as he l)rcathes. But in order to 

 produce this peculiar vocal apparatus the bronchial tubes have been brought to such an extreme degree of 

 thinness that they must be greatly weakened : in short, when we consider that every breath that the bird 

 draws must pass through tubes the walls of which are no thicker than the thinnest tissue paper, it would 

 seem that the life of tlie bird must be in constant jeopardy, as the danger of rupturing the delicate tissues of 

 these vital organs must be great. 



However this may be, 1 can say with truth that the vocal organs which the Canada Goose carries in his 

 dusky-plumaged breast are the most beautiful of any that I ever saw, and although 1 have always listened 

 to the sounds produced by them as they winged tlieir way through tlie trackless realms of air witli great 

 interest, since I have understood more of lioAv these sonorous cries are jiruduced the pleasure of hearing 

 them is enhanced ten-fold. 



BERNICLA CANADENSIS HUTCHINSI. 

 Hutchins's Goose. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Size, small. Tail, normally of sixteen feathers, or less. Coloration is as the Canada Goose, buf 

 possibly averaging darker. 



