DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS: Family Anatidae [131] 



appreciated until one has seen their spring flight, which, I am informed, extends in width 

 from the coast inland about two hundred and fifty or three hundred miles. About fifty of 

 this species were seen on the Marsh on May 2.3, and twenty on May 2.7 and June 3, after 

 which none were observed; their remaining so late excited general remark among the settlers. 



The Speckle Breast, or Gray Goose, is ardently sought by hunters of 

 wild fowl, many of whom will let a shot at Snow or Cackling Geese pass 

 if there is a possibility of a flock of "Specks" approaching their shooting 

 blinds. These geese are usually fat while in Oregon and are ranked next 

 to the Canada Goose, by discriminating hunters. 



Lesser Snow Goose: 



Chen hyferborea hyperborea (Pallas) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults: A conspicuous hard, black plate along side of lower man- 

 dible; plumage pure white except for wing, which has black tip and gray patch; 

 white of head and sometimes neck and breast washed or stained with rusty orange." 

 (Bailey) Downy young: "In the small downy young snow goose, recently hatched, 

 the color of the head shades from 'olive buff' above to 'pale olive buff' below, 

 suffused with 'colonial buff' or pale yellow on the throat, forehead, and cheeks; the 

 down on the back is quite glossy and appears 'hair brown,' 'light drab,' or 'light 

 grayish olive' in different lights; the under parts are 'pale olive buff,' suffused on the 

 breast and sides with pale yellow shades." (Bent) Si%e: "Length 2.3-2.8, wing 

 14.50-17.00, bill 1.95-1.30." (Bailey) Nest: A depression in the ground, lined with 

 down. Eggs: 5 to 7, dull white or creamy white. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on Arctic Coast and islands to north. Winters from 

 Mississippi Valley west and British Columbia south into Mexico. In Oregon: 

 Migrant only, most abundant in October and November and again in March and 

 April. 



THE LESSER SNOW GOOSE is most abundant in Oregon east of the Cascades, 

 but it appears also in numbers in the Willamette Valley and less commonly 

 on the coast. It is not particularly sought by hunters in Oregon, as the 

 meat is dark and the birds are usually thin when they arrive. Lewis and 

 Clark (1814) first recorded it for the State, their expedition having found 

 it at the mouth of the Columbia on January z, 1806, and it has been 

 noticed by practically every working ornithologist since. Johnson (1880) 

 reported it as a common migrant in the Willamette Valley, and Woodcock 

 (1902.) as a rare migrant at Dayton. 



Great flocks of these White, or Snow, Geese are familiar sights in 

 eastern Oregon, where they are particularly abundant in Klamath, Lake, 

 and Harney Counties. On the coast, several specimens are available from 

 Tillamook and Lincoln Counties, and the birds are seen each season in 

 those and other coastal counties. The main concentration areas in Oregon 

 are Malheur, Warner, Abert, and Summer Lakes; and in California, Tule 

 Lake (just across the State line). Our earliest fall date is October 17 

 (Multnomah County), but Dr. Hibbard has reported their arrival at 



