ANSEll ANSKK ( 



(12) ANSER ANSER. 

 THE GEEY LAG GOOSE. 



Anas anser, Linn, S. N. Ed. x, p. 123 (1758), (Sweden). 



Anser cinereus, Jcnhn, B. of I. iii, p. 779 ; Hinite, S. F. i, p. 258; ul. 

 Nests d- Ei.igs, p. 635 ; Butler, S. F. iv, p. 26 ; Sculh/, ibid. p. 199 ; 

 Hume, S. F. vii, p. 491 ; viii, p. 114 ; Hiuiie, Cat. No. 945 ; Hume d 

 Marsh. Gamc-B. iii, p. 50 ; Hume, Nest.'i & Eggs (Gates' ed.) iii, p. 279 ; 

 Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 945. 



Anser rubrirostris, .Salradori, Cat. B. M. sxvii, p. 91 ; Stuart Baker, 

 J. B. N. H. S. xi, p. 348 ; id. Indian Ducks, p. 63 (1908) ; Hanngton, 

 J. B. N. H. S. xxi, p. 1088, (1912) ; Bell, ibid, xxii, p. 400 (1913) ; 

 Cotton, ibid. p. 803 (1914) ; luglis, ihid. xxiv, p. 600 (1916). 



Anser ferus, Stephen, Gen. Zuol. xii, pi. 12, p. 28 (1824) ; Blanford, 

 Avifauna B. I. iv, p. 410 : Hopnwod, J. B. N. H. S. xviii, p. 433 (1908) 

 Hanngton. ibid, xix, p. 312 (1909) ; Whitehead, ibid, xx, p. 977 (1911) 

 id. ibid, xxi, p. 158 (1911) ; Baddiffe, ibid, xxiv, p. 167 (1915) 

 LudlotL', ibid. XXV. p. 305 (1917); Thornhill, ibid. p. 488 (1918) 

 J\'hi.stlcr, ibid, xxvi, p. 190 (1918) ; Jones, ibid. p. 620 (1919). 



Anser anser, Gates, Game-B. ii, p. 42 ; AlpJierakij, Geese, p. 24 ; Stevens, 

 J. B. N. H. S. xxiii, p. 733 (1915). 



Description. Adult Male.— Lower bacli and rump french-grey ; upper 

 tail-coverts white ; remainder of upper plumage, head, and neck ash-brown, 

 the scapularies edged lighter ; a very narrow white rim of feathers at the 

 base of the bill ; lower neck in front, breast, and abdomen pale greyish- 

 brown ; the abdomen with more or less broad blackish spots, sometimes 

 almost confluent, at others almost absent ; remainder of lower plumage 

 white ; flanks brown, tipped pale french-grey, more grey at the bases of the 

 feathers ; shoulder of wing and smaller coverts nest it, winglet, primaries at 

 the base, and primary-coverts french-grey ; remainder of wings brown, the 

 secondary coverts edged whitish ; under wing-coverts and axillaries french- 

 grey ; two outer pairs of tail-feathers white, the central ones brown, tipped 

 white, and the others brownish at the base changing to white at the tip. 



Colours of soft parts.—" The irides are always brown ; the nail of the 

 bill sullied white, generally yellowish or pinkish-white'; the bill, legs and 

 feet vary from creamy-white, with only, in places, a faint tinge of pink, 

 through pale somewhat livid fleshy-pink to a dingy livid purplish-red, and 

 very often the bill is of one shade, tiie legs and feet of another. Never, in 



