THE BEAN GOOSE. 67 



*nd base of the maxilla, and with a large oval 

 nail of the same colour. The length two feet 

 nine inches ; the head and neck yellowish brown, 

 darkest on the crown and cheeks, and having a 

 narrow list of white around ,the base of the bill. 

 The colour of the neck gradually shading into dark 

 brownish grey, on the back the feathers tipped 

 with yellowish white, and having a shaded band 

 of a darker tint separating the two colours ; the 

 lower back and rump uniform greyish black, fol- 

 lowed by the pure white upper tail-covers, which 

 form a narrow crescented band, contrasting with 

 the dark lower back and tail. The tail containing 

 sixteen feathers of the same colour with the lower 

 back, shortly tipped with white, and having a nar- 

 row edging of the same colour on the outer web of 

 each feather. The colour of the back is continued to 

 the wings of a darker shade, with little light edging 

 on the shoulders, but having the lesser covers with 

 a broad white tip, and the dark tertials narrowly 

 edged with that colour on their outer webs; the 

 quills are black at the tips, grey towards the base, 

 and with a broad white shaft ; greater covers black. 

 Below the breast, the feathers shade from yellowish 

 white to greyish white, and pure white on the vent 

 and under tail-coverts, the sides and feathers cover- 

 ing the thighs are similar to those on the back with 

 pale tips. Legs and feet are orange yellow. 



Another species, confounded with the last, but 

 distinguished by the white nail of the bill, the dif- 



