WILD GEESE. 251 



Another handsome member of the AnserincB is the em- 

 peror, or painted goose (Philcete canagica), which is 

 mainly confined to the northwest coast of the Pacific 

 Ocean, being most abundant in Alaska and the northern 

 parts of British Columbia. The head, back of the neck, 

 and tail of this species are white; the throat is black, 

 speckled with white; the quills are black and white; the 

 remainder of the body is bluish-gray, varied Avith pale 

 lilac spots, and marked in parts with crescent-like spots 

 of black. 



The blue goose, or bald-headed brant {A. cmrulescens), 

 has an ashy-gray hue, varied with dark-brown; but the 

 under parts, tail coverts, head, and the superior portion 

 of the neck are white. This species is common in the 

 Eocky Mountain region, but scarce east of it, so that it 

 is a true denizen of the Far West. It associates freely 

 with the snow goose and others, and accompanies them 

 on their migrations. 



The brants are exceedingly numerous throughout 

 nearly all parts of Canada and the United States, but 

 they are most abundant in the region beyond the Missouri 

 River. They can be readily distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding genera by their black bills and legs, and black 

 heads and necks, with white spaces. They are the most 

 maritime members of the Anserince, and also the most 

 exclusive, for they seldom associate with other wild fowl. 

 They are popularly supposed to live on fish, but this is 

 evidently a fallacy, as their excrementary deposits prove 

 that they subsist mainly on vegetable matter, though 

 some of them may occasionally eat the sand worm. An- 

 other proof that they are vegetarians is, they do not dive 

 for their food, and that they are fond of frequenting 

 brackish marshes where eel-grass and other aquatic veg- 

 etation grows. The birds kept as decoys by wild-fowl- 

 ers live on corn, drink fresh water, and manifest no de- 

 sire for fish; so if we were to judge from this evidence. 



