252 The Water-fowl Family 



white ; the remainder of the plumage, blue-gray ; each feather 

 with a narrow terminal bar of white, and a broader subterminal 

 bar of black ; these markings are specially distinct on the upper 

 parts, breast, and sides, but nearly wanting on the abdomen ; 

 greater coverts and secondaries, dark slate, edged with white ; 

 primaries with their coverts, slate ; tail, at the base, slate, re- 

 mainder, white ; upper and lower tail-coverts, slate ; bill, pale 

 purplish ; the lower mandible, dark horn-color, with a white spot 

 on each side ; legs and feet, orange ; iris, hazel. 



Measurements — Length, 26 inches; wing, from 14.50 to 15.50 

 inches; tarsus, 2.60 inches; culmen, 1.60 inches. 



Young — Somewhat similar to the adult, with the head and neck 

 slate color ; top of the head, speckled with white ; the barring 

 of the feathers less distinct than in the adult; bill and feet, 

 dusky. 



Eggs — Five to eight in number, white, measure 3.35 by 2.12 

 inches. 



Habitat — Breeds on the coast of Alaska from mouth of the Kus- 

 kokwin north to Kotzebue Sound. Winters chiefly on the 

 Aleutian Islands, very rarely south to British Columbia and the 

 Sacramento Valley, California, occurring on the Pribilofs in 

 migration. 



This bird is the most beautiful of our geese and 

 outside of small localities in Alaska almost un- 

 known. It breeds along the northern coast and 

 adjacent islands. The nest is in a hollow depres- 

 sion on the shore, composed of grass and lined 

 with down. The emperor goose remains in the 

 North longer than any other species, staying until 

 the whole coast is icebound, when it migrates south 

 to open water, wintering about the coast and islands 

 of southern Alaska. The flight is in pairs or in 

 flocks of four or five, high in air and strong. The 

 note is shrill and clear and the bird exceedingly 



