282 ANATIDH, GEESE.—GEN. 248. 
bird with spurs on the wings and a tubercle at the base of the bill; the Asiatic 
Cynopsis cygnoides, frequently domesticated, a true goose with a swan-like aspect ; 
the Egyptian goose, Chenalopex cegyptiaca. The geese appear to pass directly into 
the ducks through the rather large shieldrake group, the species of which resemble 
the latter in many external features, but are more essentially like geese. Charac- 
teristic examples of this group are the European Tadorna vulpanser and Casarea 
rutila ; there are several others in the southern hemisphere; our long-legged 
arboricole genus Dendrocygna belongs in the immediate vicinity, while the domes- 
ticated musk duck, Catrina moschata, is not far removed. Through such forms 
as these we are brought directly among the ducks proper. 
248. Genus ANSER Linneus. 
* ,* Bill and feet light or bright colered; plumage white, or much variegated. 
American White-fronted Goose. Bill smooth; the lamine moderately 
exposed ; tail normally of 16 feathers. Under parts white or gray, exten- 
sively blotched with black ; back dark gray, with paler or brownish edgings 
of the feathers ; upper tail coverts white ; head and neck grayish-brown, the 
forehead conspicuously pure white (in the adult; dark in some states) ; bill 
pale lake; feet orangé, with pale claws. About 27 long; wing 16-18; tail 
5-6; tarsus 22-3; middle toe and claw about the same. North America; 
only differs from the European in an average longer bill (12-2, instead of 
13-13). Sw. and Ricu., Fn. B.-A. ii, 466; Nurr., ii, 346; Aup., vi, 209, 
pl. 880; Bpo., 761; A. frontalis Bp., 762 (young). ALBIFRONS var. GAMBELII. 
? Blue Goose. With nearly the size, and exactly the form, of the next 
species, but the plumage ashy, varied with dark brown, the head, upper 
neck, tail coverts and most of the under parts white, the wing coverts silvery- 
ash. Questionably the young of the snow goose. Wits., viii, 89, pl. 69, f. 
5; Cass., Proc. Phila. Acad. 1856, 12; Ex. pl. 43. . . C#@RULESCENS. 
Snow Goose. Bill smooth; the lamin very prominent, owing to arching 
of the edges of the bill. Adult plumage pure white, but in most specimens — 
the head washed with rusty-red; primaries broadly black-tipped;_ bill 
lake-red with white nail; feet the same, with dark claws. “Young, dull 
bluish or pale lead colored on the head and upper parts of the body” ( Cassin). 
Length about 30; wing 17-19; tail 54-63; bill 24; tarsus 34. North 
America; U.S. in winter; extremely abundant in the West, much less so 
in the East. WIts., viii, 76, pl. 68, f. 5; Sw. and Rios., Fn. B.-A. ‘ii, 
467; Nurt., li, 844; Aup., vi, 212, pl. 381; Bp., 760. . HYPERBOREUS. 
Var. arBatus. Lesser Snow Goose. Smaller; “length about 25 inches; wing 
153; tail 52; bill 2; tarsus 3.” Western N. Am. Cass., Proc. Phila. Acad. 
1856, 41; 1861, 73; Bp., 760, 925; Exxtior, pl. 42. 
Ross’ Goose. Bill studded at the base with numerous elevated papillz. 
Color white, with black-tipped quills, exactly as in the snow goose, but less 
than 24 long; wing 14-15; tail 5; bill 13; tarsus 24. Arctic regions (U. S. 
in winter?). “Horned Wavey” of Hearne, Journ. 442 ; A. rossii Bp. ; Cass., 
Proc. Phila. Acad. 1861, 73; Haanthemops rossii ExxroT, pl. 44. ROSSI. 
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