632 Report of State Geologist. 



^ggs, unknown. 



Eare migrant. This species and the preceding are not usually dis- 

 tinguislied. Where it has been noted it Avould seem to be found less 

 olten than the smaller form! 



Mr. E. J. Chansler has several times seen Snow Geese in Knox 

 County, which he referred to this species. About 1867 he saw a flock 

 of eighteen. October 25, 1896, he saw a single specimen, and Decem- 

 ber 12, 1896, he saw another Snow Goose flying over in a flock of 

 Hutchins' Geese. Mr. Chas. Dury has reported this goose from Chal- 

 mers. In the spring of 1897, while calling upon Mr. Mortimer Lever- 

 ing, at his country home near Lafayette, my attention was drawn to 

 three geese, one of which was a Snow Goose, which had been shot from 

 a flock near Morocco in 1892. It was only winged, and came into the 

 , possession of Mr. Levering, where it had become quite tame. 



Sir John Richardson, in his "Fauna Boreali Americana," speaks of 

 the abundance of these birds in the far north, where they breed. The 

 young fly in August, and by the middle of September all have departed 

 southward. 



"The Snow Goose feeds on rushes, insects, and in autumn on ber- 

 ries, particularly those of the Empetrum nigrum. When well fed it is a 

 very excellent bird, far superior to the Canada Goose in juiciness and 

 flavor. It is said that the young do not attain their full plumage be- 

 fore the fourth year, and until that period they appear to keep in 

 separate flocks. They are numerous at Albany Fort, in the southern 

 part of Hudson Bay, where the old birds are rarely seen, and on the 

 other hand, the old birds in their migrations visit York Factory in 

 great abundance, but are seldom accompanied by the young." 



Both of the Snow Geese are known as '^'White Brant." 



53. (1(39). Chen caerulescens (Linn). 



Blue Goose. 

 Synonyms, Alaska Goose, Blue-winged Goose, Blue Brant. 



Head and upper neck and sometimes rump and back part of 

 belly, white; back of neck often wdth more or less distinct black stripe 

 lengthwise; greater wing coverts and secondaries (including ter- 

 tails) edged with white; rest of plumage mostly grayish-brown, the 

 rump (usually) and ^nng coverts, bluish-gray. 



Young. — Similar to adult, but head and neck uniform deep grayish- 

 brown, only the chin being white. 



Length, 26.50-30.00: wing, 15.00-17.00; culmen, 2.10-2.30; tarsus, 

 3.00-3.30. 



