363 



CHEN C^RULESCENS (Ridgw). 



THE BLUE-WINGED GK)OSE. 



Specific Character. — Head and upper half of the neck, white, or mostly white 

 the former frequently washed with orange rufous anteriorly ; lower neck and body 

 grayish brown, the feathers bordered terminally with paler; these pale edgings, 

 however, nearly obsolete on the neck where the tint is darker, inclining to plumb- 

 eous umber, which joins irregularly against the white above it. Rump and wings 

 plain pearl gray or bluish cinereous, the former sometimes white in striking con- 

 trast to the deep, grayish brown of the scapulars, sides, etc., that of the rump fad- 

 ing into white on the upper tail coverts, and that of the greater coverts edged 

 externally with the same. Primaries black, fading basally into hoary gray ; 

 secondaries, deep black, narrowly skirted with white ; tail, deep cinereous, the 

 feathers distinctly bordered with white. Bill, reddish, the commissural space 

 black ; feet reddish. 



Total length, about 30.00 inches ; wing, 15.00-17.00 ; culmen, 2.10-2.30 ; 

 tarsus, 3.00-3.30 ; middle toe, 2.20. 



Habitat. — North America generally, but chiefiy the interior. 



The Blue- Winged goose was once thought to be the young of the Snow goose 

 but now by ornithologists is considered a good distinct species. The general 

 characteristics are very much the same, but the plumage is different. It is often 

 seen in Ontario occurring with other geese. A few years ago a good specimen 

 was caught on the banks of the Grand River by a colley dog belonging to Mr. 

 Armour, a farmer, who kept it for a number of years. It lived with the tame 

 geese, and soon became master of the flock. It never mated with the rest of the 

 flock ; its plumage never changed, and it fed on grass and grain as the others did. 

 Some passing hunter shot it one day. The writer also has a good specimen in 

 his collection taken in the same locality. 



