GEESE AND BRANT. 4 1 



and the belly and tail coverts white. The white-fronted 

 goose, genus Anscr, is much paler gray, has the bill and 

 feet pink, and has no black except spots on breast and 

 belly. In the genus Chen three forms are pure white, 

 except for the quill feathers of the wings, which are 

 black. All have the head white in adult plumage. 

 Philacte, the Alaska type, is grayish or bluish in color, 

 variously marked with white. 



The North American geese are birds of powerful 

 flight, non-divers, well adapted for progression on the 

 land, usually breeders in high latitude, but wintering in 

 open waters. Some are large birds, while others are 

 smaller than some of the ducks, the weight in different 

 species varying from 1 5 to 3 pounds. 



They feed almost altogether on vegetable matter, 

 largely grass and aquatic plants ; and sometimes, after 

 feeding for a time on the roots of certain sedges and 

 other water plants, their flesh becomes very unpalatable 

 from the strong flavor given it by this food. 



Geese are noisy birds, the voice of the smaller ones 

 being shrill and cackling, while the cry of others, like 

 the common Canada goose, is sonorous and resonant. 



Many years ago the geese, during the spring and 

 autumn migration, were so enormously abundant in 

 portions of Minnesota and in California that they did a 

 vast amount of damage by eating the young wheat just 

 appearing above the ground. In those days it was pos- 

 sible to approach quite close to them on horseback, and 

 the rider, having gotten as near to them as practicable, 

 would charge upon the feeding flock, get among them 



