KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 239 



Genus BRANTA Scopoli. 



BRANTA CANADENSIS (Z/««.). 

 Canada Goose. 



Adult : Head and neck black : a patch of white on the side of the head behind the eye ex- 

 tending to the chin ; back and wings grayish brown ; breast and under parts dull grayish white, 

 becoming white on the belly ; tail black. 



The immature bird is similar, but has the throat and cheeks sometimes mottled. 



Length, 40; Wing, 19; Bill, 2.50; Tarsus, 3.20. 



The Canada Goose ranges throughout temperate North America, breed- 

 ing in Northern United States and the British Provinces. It ranges in 

 winter south to Mexico and Jamaica. It occasionally occurs in Florida 

 in winter, as specimens have been killed on the Indian River and also in 

 Northwestern Florida. 



The nest, which is composed of sticks and grass lined with feathers, is 

 built in the marshes and on borders of streams ; it is claimed that sometimes 

 the nest is placed in a tree. At one time it bred commonly on the Magda- 

 lene Islands. The eggs are four or five, usually brownish white. 



