ANSER EBYTHROPFS 89 



(14) ANSER ERYTHROPUS. 

 THE DWARF GOOSE. 



Anas erythropus, Linn. S. X. 10th ed. p. 123 (1758) (North Sweden). 



Anser minutus, Xaiim. Yog. Dciitsch. xi, p. 304 (1842) ; Hume, S. F. 

 viii, p. 114 : Hume, Cat. No. 948. 



Anser erythropus, Jerdon, B. of I. iii, p. 781 ; Hume d: Marsh. Game-B. 

 iii, p. 78, p\. 77 : Salvadori, Cat. B. 31. xxvii, p. 97 ; Blanford, Avi- 

 fauna B. I. iv, p. 418; Stuart Baker, .7. B. X. H. S. xi, p. 357; id. 

 ibid. XV, p. 524 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 53 ; Stuart Baker, Indian 

 Ducks, p. 73 (1908) ; WignaU, J. B. X. H. S. xx, p. 855 (1911) • 

 Plinstov, ibid. p. 1156 ; Thornhill, ibid, xxv, p. 488 (1918). 



Anser flnmarchicus, Gunner, in Knud Lecms. Bestrivclse, p. 264 (1767) ; 

 Alphcraki/, Geese, p. 59. 



Adult Male. — Differs from the last bird, Anser albifrons, in being a good 

 deal smaller, and having the white on the forehead far broader, reaching a 

 line drawn across the head between the eyes ; also in having a decidedly 

 darker rump and generally darker tint to the plumage, especially on the 

 head and neck. 



Measurements.—" Total length about 21 inches, wing 15, tail 4'5. culmen 

 1'27, tarsus 2'4." {Salvadori.) 



"Length 19'5 to 21 inches, wing 13 to 14'1, tail 2'85 to 3'25, tarsus 2'3 

 to 2'4." {Hume.) 



" The Female is yet smaller than the male ; wing about 13'3 inches." 

 {Salvadori.) 



Colours of the soft parts.—" The colour of the bill is in the young, before 

 the first autumn moult, a reddish-grey, the nail blackish ; later this latter 

 becomes a greyish-white, and the bill pale orange-yellow ; in old birds the 

 bill is lively reddish-yellow or orange, the nail yellowish-reddish-white. 

 There is never any trace of black upon the bill. 



" The naked edges of the eyelids are dirty yellow in the young, orange in 

 tlie old ; the iride? are dark-brown. The feet are in the young a pale dirty 

 yellow tending towards orange ; in the old a lively orange-yellow or almost 

 orange-red. The claws are pale brown-colour, darker brown towards the 

 tips." {Nauman7i.) 



In the bird sent to me by Mr. Johnston, and recorded later on in this 

 article, the feet were bright chrome-yellow, and the bill livid-green with the 

 nail paler. These colours were recorded after the bird had been dead about 



