220 The Heater-fowl Family 



Indiana, Maine, and Nova Scotia. Recorded also from north- 

 eastern Asia, Japan, Hawaii, and Europe, and this, or Ch. h. 

 nivalis, from Bermuda. 



For a long time no distinction was made between 

 the snow geese. There is, however, no doubt as 

 to the two separate races, although a differentia- 

 tion depending entirely on size is rather unsatis- 

 factory. Careful observation has demonstrated 

 the fact that the lesser variety is strictly inland 

 and western in its distribution, occurring from the 

 Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Coast, while the 

 greater snow goose is found casually inland, but 

 most commonly along the Atlantic. Both varie- 

 ties breed in the far Arctic regions. 



The lesser snow goose is very abundant through- 

 out the northern Mississippi Valley, arriving in 

 Dakota early in October and wintering in Texas 

 and about the Gulf. There is also a migration 

 along the Pacific Coast, the birds being found 

 throughout California and far into Mexico during 

 the winter. The breeding-ground is so far within 

 the Arctic circle that the Indians and Eskimo 

 north of Hudson Bay tell of the birds still flying 

 on. The nest has seldom been taken. Along 

 the Yukon they are common in the spring, but do 

 not breed in the vicinity, nor do they return by 

 this route in the fall. Throughout the northern 

 parts of Hudson Bay this species is very abun- 

 dant in early May, arriving in small flocks, soon 



