BEAN GOOSE. 



'~pHIS is another species from the Old World, taken 

 into our list of American birds on a statement 

 that a specimen was seen or procured in North 

 Greenland. However, this is not of much impor- 

 tance to those who shoot Wild Fowl, because it 

 is not at all likely that they will ever meet this 

 bird in the flesh in North America, and it is prob- 

 ably a very exceptional occurrence that one even goes as 

 far west as Greenland. But there is a specimen in the 

 zoological museum at Copenhagen stated to have come 

 from that land, and on this testimony the Bean Goose 

 becomes an American bird. We are not informed what 

 are the reasons for believing the specimen came from 

 Greenland, and museum examples have been known to 

 bear wrong localities upon their labels, but let us hope 

 this is not the case in this instance, and although we can 

 never expect to see the Bean Goose flying free within our 

 limits, it will be satisfactory to believe a venturesome in- 

 dividual did get at one time as far westward as Green- 

 land. In many parts of Europe and Asia it is a common 

 species, frequenting the coasts, and also inland localities 

 more often than is usual with other species of Geese. It 

 is a wary bird and keeps to open places, and has sentinels 

 posted to warn the flock of approaching danger. It 

 breeds in high latitudes. 



ANSER FA BALIS. 



Geographical Distribution. — Northern Europe and Asia, in 

 winter to southern Europe and Northern Africa. Very acci- 

 dental in Greenland. 



