40 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



his " Catalogue " of these birds, not very 

 long ago, was unable to arrive at any 

 satisfactory conclusion with regard to 

 one or two of the species. The British 

 Museum has received several additional 

 specimens of Geese of this section within 

 the last year or two, and after a careful 

 examination of all the material available, 

 I have come to the conclusion that there 

 are six recognisable species of Geese 

 of the third section, or of the type of 

 the Bean-Goose. This latter is known 

 to occur in the Indian Empire, and it 

 is not improbable that the other five 

 may, at some time or other, be found 

 to occur within our limits. I have, 

 therefore, in the proper place, given the 

 characters by which these Geese may 

 be known. Their identification, however, 

 cannot always be made a matter of ab- 

 solute certainty, without specimens of 

 the different species for comparison, 

 but I have striven to give characters 

 for each species that cannot well be 

 misunderstood. It will always be ad- 

 visable, when possible, to preserve 

 any specimens of Geese of this type 

 that the sportsman may be fortunate 

 enough to meet with, for subsequent 

 inquiry and examination. The differences 



