22 



Norman A. Wood 



45. Chen rossi (Cassin). Ross's Goose. 



JUDD, 1917, p. 9; one shot April 22, 1893. Heard of others being seen, but none 

 came to notice. 



I have been able to find no other record of this species in the state. 



46. Anscr alUfrons gamheli Hartlaub. White-fronted Goose. 

 JuDD, 1891, p. 169; some shot near Cando, October, 1890. 



There is a mounted bird in the Williams Collection which was taken at 

 Grafton, April 4, 1906. None were observed during the field work. 



47. Branta canadensis canadensis (Linnseus). Canada Goose. 



CouES, 1878, p. 649; saw several broods of goslings on the Missouri River in 

 June, 1874. Hoffman, 1882, p. 404; immense numbers virere observed throughout 

 September at Fort Berthold, McLean County. CouES, 1893, pp. 192, 250, 269, 270; 

 Lewis and Clark reported large flocks of geese and brant passing south at Fort 

 Mandan, November 10, 1894. On March 31, 1805, several flocks of geese, the first 

 ones seen, flew up. By April 10 the geese were feeding near Fort Berthold. On 

 April 13 a lake and adjoining creek flowing into the river were named Goose Lake 

 and Goose Creek, because of the large number of geese feeding on them. They 

 built their nests in the tops of the lofty cottonwood trees. Coues says these were 

 Canada geese, and he confirmed the above statement when he passed this point in 

 the river in 1874. CouES, 1897, p. 7; Audubon saw geese and goslings near the 

 mouth of the Cannonball River, JNIorton County, June 5, 1843. BEnt, 1902, pp. 173, 

 174; reports quite a number of Canada geese breeding in North Dakota. Found one 

 nest on June 2, 1901, in a large slough in Nelson County; another which the young 

 had left on June 10, in Steel County. Reed, 1904, p. 84; records a set of five eggs 

 from Ellingers Lake, May 18, 1896, collected by Edwin S. Bryant. Ttdd, 1917, p. 9; 

 common breeder, noted as early as March 8 and as late as November 20. 



At present this might be considered a rare breeder in the state. Captain 

 Lonnevik, of the Rock Island Military Reservation, says that it is still nest- 

 ing at Sweetwater Lake. On August 12, 1920, a family of five were seen 

 on Devils Lake. A small flock flew over Devils Lake May 4, 192 1. 



48. Branta canadensis hutchinsi (Richardson). Hutchins's Goose. 



JuDD, 1892, p. 314; saw this species near Cando. Judd, 1917, p. 9; common 

 migrants, which usually feed by themselves in flocks of ten to fifteen. 



A mounted specimen taken at Sweetwater Lake, Ramsey County, October 

 10, 191 5, is in the Williams Collection, 



The species seems to be rather rare in the state. 



49. Branta canadensis minima Ridgway. Cackling Goose. 



Judd, 1917, p. 9; two specimens shot in 1894 and one in 1895, by Dr. L. B. Bishop, 

 were assigned to this subspecies. 



A mounted specimen is in the IMuseum of Zoology Collection, labelled 

 Sweetwater Lake, October 10, 191 5. 



50. Branta nigricans (Lawrence). Black Brant. 



The species has not been recorded in lists of North Dakota birds. The 

 only specimen seen was an immature bird in the Williams Collection. It 

 was taken at Lakota, Nelson County, October 26, 191 7. 



