Descriptive List 87 



several hundred yards, the black wing-tips contrasting strongly with the pure white 

 plumage. It was followed for an hour or more, and in the course of its various 

 flights completely circled the lighthouse. 



A bunch of Snow Geese frequented the waters of Core Sound in the winter of 

 1892-3. A pair from this flock was sent to the State Museum in the flesh from 

 Beaufort. Two specimens were taken on Trent River, near New Bern, in 1884. 



A flock every winter inhabits the beaches between Currituck Sound and the ocean. 

 Writing of this fact in American Duck Shooting, Grinnell says: "These birds do 

 not seem to associate with the common gray geese, but keep to themselves, and feed 

 largely on the marsh instead of in the water. Sometimes I have sailed within gun- 

 shot of this flock of 500, and their white heads appearing over the short marsh 

 grass, which hides their bodies, have a very curious appearance. When fairly 

 alarmed, they spring into the air and fly away with sharp, cackling cries, much less 

 musical than those of the common Canada Geese." 



The White Brant's flesli is not very palatable, and the birds are seldom, if ever, 

 hunted in this State. 



A peculiarity of this bird is the reddish-brown stain often in evidence on the 

 head and neck. 



68. Chen caerulescens {Linn.). Blue Goose. 



Ads. — Head and upper neck white; middle of hindneck sometimes blackish, lower neck all 

 around fuscous, rest of underparts brownish gray edged with buffy; lower beUy generally paler, 

 sometimes wliite; upper back and scapulars hke breast; lower back, rump and upper tail- 

 coverts gray ; tail fuscous gi'ay edged with whitish ; wing-coverts like the rump or slightly darker, 

 with little or no whitish margins; wing-quills and tertials fuscous, the latter more or less mar- 

 gined with wliitish. Im. — "Similar to adult, but head and neck uniform deep grayish brown, 

 only the chin being white. L., 26.50-30.00; W., 15.00-17.00; B., 2.10-2.3C; Tar., 3.00-3.30" 

 (Ridgw.). (ChuT?., BirdsoJ E.N. A.) 



Range. — ^Eastern North America, in winter mainly in Mississippi Valley, rare on Atlantic 

 coast. 



Range in North Carolina. — Once recorded from Beaufort. 



This is another western bird, which occurs but rarely on the Atlantic coast. 

 Atkinson states that he examined a live specimen in the possession of S. J. Moore 

 of Beaufort, which had been captured on Bogue Beach, one mile from Fort Macon, 

 by James Willis of Morehead City in the spring of 1884. (Proceedings Ehsha 

 Mitchell Scientific Society, 1887, p. 56.) 



Genus Anser (Briss.) 



69. Anser albifrons gambeli (Hartl.). White-fronted Goose. 



Description. — Grayish brown, the forepart of the head in adult white, lower parts grayish 

 white, blotched or spotted with black; anal region, crissum, and tail-coverts white; young 

 similar, but no white on head nor black on underparts. L., 27.00-30.00; W., 14.50-17.50. 



Range. — Central and western North America, breeding far northerly, winters mainly in the 

 Mississippi Valley, rare on the Atlantic coast. 



Range in North Carolina. — Once recorded from Currituck. 



Seldom has this goose been recorded on the Atlantic seaboard. The one positive 

 record of its appearing in North Carolina is based on the reception at the State 

 Museum of a specimen taken in Currituck Sound during January, 1897. It was 

 sent by Captain T. J. Poyner. 



