39^ PINK-FOOTED COOSE. 



Spitsbergen, and may perhaps be the 'Goose of some kind' observed 

 by Mr. Leigh Smith's party on Franz-Josef Land ; but on Novaya 

 Zemlya the species found by Capt. A. H. Markham was the Bean. 

 It visits Norway, but assertions that it breeds there have not 

 been absolutely confirmed by Prof. CoUett's subsequent experience. 

 Accurate information is scanty respecting its distribution in 

 Sweden, Denmark, Russia and the greater part of Europe ; but 

 examples are known to have been obtained on passage in Holland, 

 Belgium, and France. Authenticated specimens have been taken in 

 winter in Northern India, but not in Siberia or China, and the bird 

 recorded by Swinhoe under this name from Japan has proved to be 

 A. crythropus. 



The nest is. said to be placed in situations commanding an exten- 

 sive view, and the male is constantly on the watch to warn his mate 

 of any approaching danger. Messrs. Cocks and Chapman found 

 three pairs with goslings in the yellow downy state at Magdalena 

 Bay, Spitsbergen, on the 29th July, by which date the adults had re- 

 covered the use of their wings, being more advanced in their moult 

 than the Brent Geese. The eggs are rather less than those of the 

 Bean Goose, of a pure white colour, and measure 3*15 by 2-i5 in. 

 In captivity the Pink-footed Goose is said to keep apart from its 

 congeners. Its voice differs from that of the Bean Goose in being 

 sharper in tone, and the note is also repeated more rapidly. 



Mr. Cecil Smith has set forth the characteristics of this species so 

 clearly and tersely that I cannot do better than copy his words. 

 He says, "The Pink-footed Goose has the upper mandible of the bill 

 pink in the centre, base and edges black, nail black, legs and feet 

 pink. This colour does not appear to me to be constant, as some I 

 have kept in a state of semi-domestication and bred from for several 

 years, have, in some instances, had the light parts of the bill and the 

 legs and feet orange, as briglit and decided an orange as the orange- 

 legged species ; in this state they are very like, and if shot would no 

 doubt be recorded for, Bean Geese. They are slightly different in 

 plumage, however, having the white markings on the tail broader ; 

 and the shoulder of the wing is more of a blue grey, in this respect 

 resembling the Grey Lag-Goose, though the blue is darker than in 

 that bird." To this I may add that the Pink-footed Goose is smaller 

 than the Bean, the length being about 28 in., and the wing 17-5 in. ; 

 while the bill is shorter in proportion. Mr. Bartlett has pointed 

 out that the formation of its sternum more closely resembles that of 

 the White-fronted than of the Bean Goose. 



