365 



BERNICULA BRENTA (Baird). 

 THE BRANT GOOSE. 



Specific Gliarcter. — Head, neck, jugulum, continuous black, the anterior por- 

 i;ion of the head having a brownish cast ; posterior outline of the back on the jugu- 

 lum very regular, and sharply defined against the brownish gray of the breast. Mid- 

 dle of the neck with a transverse crescentic patch of white on each side formed of 

 white tips and subtips of the feathers, the black shining through in places so as 

 to form oblique lines. Above smoky plumbeous, the feathers distinctly bordered 

 terminally with a much paler and more brownish shade. Wings like the back but 

 with a somewhat plumbeous cast, the paler margins nearly obsolete. Secondaries 

 blackish brown ; primaries brownish black. Tail uniform black, but almost 

 concealed by the snow white lengthened coverts the upper of which, however, are 

 invaded by a medial stripe of blackish plumbeous brown from the rump. Bresist, 

 abdomen, sides and flanks, much like the upper parts, but the light tips to the 

 feathers whiter, broader, and more conspicuous; anal region and crissum immacu- 

 late snow white. 



Total length, 24.00 inches ; wing, 12.30; culmen, 1.20 ; tarsus, 2.05 ; middle toe, 

 1.70. 



Eastern North America generally, but chiefly the Atlantic coast; rare away 

 from salt water, Is a migrant in the spring to the Arctic regions to breed. It is 

 rare in Ontario being only found here as a straggler. 



