THE CANADA GOOSE. 233 



the tail, acute. Tail very short, rounded, of 

 eighteen stiff, rounded, but acuminate feathers. 



Bill, feet, and claws black. Iris chestnut-broM^n. 

 Head and two upper thirds of the neck glossy- 

 black. Forehead, cheeks, and chin tinged with 

 brown. Lower eyelid white ; a broad band of 

 the same across the throat to behind the eyes. 

 Rump and tail feathers also black. The general 

 color of the rest of the upper parts is grayish- 

 brown ; the wing-coverts shaded into ash-gray ; 

 all the feathers terminally edged with very pale 

 brown ; the lower part of the neck passing into 

 grayish-white, which is the general color of the 

 lower parts, with the exception of the abdomen, 

 which is pure white, the sides, which are pale 

 brownish-gray, the feathers tipped Avith v>'hite, 

 and the lower wing-coverts, which are also pale 

 brownish-gray. The margins of the rump and 

 the upper tail-coverts pure white. 



In very old males I have found the breast of 

 a fine pale buff. * 



Length to end of tail, 43 inches j extent of 

 wings, 65 ; weight, 7 pounds. 



Adult female : The female is somewhat smaller 

 than the male, but similar in coloring, although 

 the tints are duller. The white of the throat is 



