CANADA GOOSE. 149 
them, and brings up the rear. ‘The little family remain 
together till the return of the flock, when all mix promis- 
cuously, recruit themselves for a few days, and then depart.’ 
The female sits very close, and rarely leaves the nest. The 
pair are believed to unite for life. 
Male; weight, about nine pounds. The largest of the two 
mentioned above as having been shot in Yorkshire, weighed 
ten pounds and a half. Length, three feet five or six inches; 
bill,, black; iris, very dark brown. Head on the crown, 
black, with purple reflections; neck behind, black, tinged with 
purple; chin and throat, white, which colour extends upwards 
and backwards, somewhat after the fashion of a cravat, 
whence one of the names of the bird. It reaches nearly to 
the other side of the top of the neck; breast above, pale 
greyish brown; below, white; on the sides pale brown, the 
edges of the feathers still paler; back above, brown; below, 
dusky black. 
Greater and lesser wing coverts, brown, the edges paler; 
primaries, dusky black; secondaries, brown, with lighter 
coloured edges; tertiaries, also brown; the edges of a lighter 
colour. ‘Tail, dusky black; upper tail coverts, white; legs, 
toes, and webs, dark lead-colour or bluish black. 
These birds begin to moult in July. 
The females are somewhat less in size than the males. 
