RED-BREASTED GOOSE. 130 



They feed on green vegetables in preference to grain, but, 

 on the principle of 'Hobson's choice,' put up with the latter 

 if no better be forthcoming. 



They utter their call-note to keep each other together, or 

 if alarmed by a bird of prey: Meyer expresses it by the 

 word 'tsjackwoy.' 



Male; weight, about three pounds; length, one foot eight, 

 nine, or ten inches; bill, very short and nearly black, with 

 a tinge, of red; tooth, black. Iris, hazel; between the eye 

 and the base of the bill is a large whitish patch; the eye 

 is encircled with a line of dark brownish black. Forehead, 

 and head on the crown, dark brownish black; on the sides is 

 a patch of chesnut, speckled with black, and surrounded with 

 a narrow line of white, which runs down the neck, bordering 

 the black of the throat, and the back of the neck; neck on 

 the back and nape, dark brownish black. The neck in front 

 is rich orange chesnut red, bordered below with dashes of 

 white. Chin and throat, dark brownish black; breast above, 

 rich orange chesnut red, beneath which runs a narrow white 

 band, and a narrow black one, in a festooned shape; on the 

 middle and sides black, some of the feathers bordered with 

 white; below white, with some waves of dusky brown; back, 

 very dark blackish brown. 



The wings expand to the width of three feet ten inches. 

 Greater wing coverts, dusky black, margined with white; 

 lesser wing coverts, dusky black, edged with greyish white, 

 forming two bars across the wing; primaries, black; secondaries, 

 also black. Tail, black, tipped with white; upper tail coverts, 

 white; under tail coverts, also white. Legs and toes, dark 

 brownish black, with a tinge of red. Webs, dark brownish 

 black. 



