an 
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THE AMERICAN SWAN. 481 
The Common American Swan is equally abundant on both sides of the continent, 
as well as throughout the interior; the young bird is brown instead of white; the 
adult seldom, if ever, is without the yellow or orange space at the base of the bill, 
which is otherwise black. 
HIS beautiful bird is so extremely rare in New England 
that it cannot properly be considered as belonging to 
our fauna. Within a few years, perhaps three or four speci- 
mens have been 
taken in the waters 
of Lake Champlain ; 
and I believe a small 
flock is recorded to 
have been seen in 
Lake Memphrema- 
gog. These are 
the only instances 
known to me of its 
occurrence in these 
States. It retires to the most northern countries to pass 
the season of reproduction. It nests on the ground, on 
the islands and plains in the Hudson’s Bay country. The 
nest is constructed of a small collection of weeds and 
dried grasses, loosely adjusted by the female. The eggs 
are from six to eight or ten in number. They are broadly 
ovoidal in shape, and of a pale olivaceous-green in color. 
They vary in dimensions from 4.65 by 3 inches to 3.98 by 
2.85 inch. 
Sub-Family ANsrrinz.— The Geese. 
ANSER, Linn us. 
Bill as long as the head, mostly red or orange-colored; the lamelle of upper 
mandible project below the edge as conical points; nostrils opening behind the 
middle of the commissure, the anterior edge only reaching to this point; tip of hind 
toe reaching to the ground. 
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