354 FIELD'MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. IX. 



There is much uncertainty in using the records concerning this 

 species, because it is so commonly confounded with the Snow 

 Goose, which is locally known as Brant all through the West." (W. 

 W. Cooke, Report on Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley, 

 1888, p. 78. ) "Probably a rare visitant, but the only instance known 

 to me of its capture in this portion of the country is a specimen taken 

 by Dr. Hoy from a flock of three upon the Lake shore near Racine." 

 (Nelson, Bds. N. E. Illinois, 1876, p. 138.) "The Brant has been 

 listed as a bird of Wisconsin for a great many years, but when all rec- 

 ords are sifted we have left as authentic only the one of Dr. Hoy, a 

 single specimen taken at Racine many years ago. This was one of 

 three from the shore of Lake Michigan. For the past 30 years we 

 have run down ' Brant ' records innumerable to find that in every 

 case it proved to be something else, varying from the common Canada 

 Goose to a female Eider Duck." (Kumlien and Hollister, Birds of 

 Wisconsin, 1903, p. 30.) There are several supposed Michigan records 

 (A. J. Cook, Birds of Michigan, 1893, P- 47)- an( ^ ^ nas a l so been 

 given from Indiana (A. W. Butler, Birds of Indiana, 1897, p. 639), 

 but these authorities do not record it from personal observation. 



Subfamily CYGNIN^. Swans. 



During the migrations, swans are found in Illinois and Wisconsin. 

 They are easily recognized by their large size and long necks. The 

 adults (in the two species which occur in Illinois) are white and the 

 immature birds, gray. When migrating the flocks assume a V shaped 

 form like the geese. Their food consists of aquatic plants and roots 

 and occasionally small mollusks. 



Genus OLOR Wagler. 



73. Olor columbianus (ORD). 



WHISTLING SWAN. 



Distr.: North America, breeding in high latitudes; south in win- 

 ter to the Carolinas and occasionally to Florida. It is common on 

 the Gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas and a few occasionally winter 

 in southern Illinois. On the Pacific side it winters from British 

 Columbia to southern California, accidental in northern Mexico. 



Adult: General plumage, white; bill and feet, black; a small yellow 

 spot (which is not always present) on bare loral skin at the base of 



