THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 243 



By Audubon the white-fronted goose (anser 

 albifrons) and the snow-goose [anser hyperho- 

 reus) have been classified and described (and 1 

 think properly so) as two entirely distinct and 

 separate species ; though many naturalists, seeing 

 in them many striking points of resemblance, 

 and being confused by their varying appearances, 

 produced by age and change of season, coupled 

 with their lack of familiarity with them whilst 

 breeding, have adjudged them to be identical in 

 character, of but one species, and differing only in 

 degree of maturity. The opinion of Audubon is, 

 I believe, that most generally sanctioned by Wes- 

 tern sportsmen, amongst whom, however, bo1;h 

 species receive the general appellation of " brant," 

 the white-fronted being familiarly known as the 

 harlequin variety, from the irregular, patchy col- 

 oring of their breast-feathers, while the snow- 

 geese are all called fish-brant, and as such are 

 never pursued for the table. The younger ones 

 of this latter species are fufther characteristically 

 distinguished as bald brant or white-heads. 



To the peculiar habits of the snow-goose I have 

 paid but little attention, being rather a poor 

 naturalist, and led to consider them by my hunt- 

 ing companions as unworthy of pursuit. I have 



