THE WILD GOOSE. 315 



This latter variety is not common in the West, at least 

 not in those States and Territories most frequented by the 

 geese and brant. Their larger cousins the true snow- 

 geese are, however, found in countless numbers all over 

 the prairie States, and are common to all the country 

 between the Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. In 

 Dakota, they arrive at about the same time as the other 

 varieties, and are always found associated with the 

 Canadas. The Pacific Slope is a favorite winter home of 

 these birds, and large numbers are killed. The shooting, 

 in years past, has been equally as good in Dakota and 

 along the Platte River, in Nebraska, during the fall. Of 

 their breeding-habits but little is known. Like the black 

 brant and other varieties, they nest in the far North. 



White-fronted goose (laughing goose harlequin brant 

 pied brant prairie brant speckled belly speckled 

 brant yellow-legged goose gray brant). Upper parts, 

 principally grayish brown, the broad ends of the feathers 

 narrowly edged with brownish white, the pale edgings 

 turned to pure white on tail and certain feathers of the 

 wings; the head and upper neck of closer mixture, or 

 nearly plain brown; extreme front of head, next to bill, 

 white, this white intensified by the brown just back of it, 

 which is of a deeper tint, or blackish; breast, in a high 

 state of plumage, blackish brown, broken only by a few 

 pale or white edgings to the feathers, but, as more often 

 seen, a blotchy mixture of black and white; the feathers 

 of rump, and those beneath the tail, pure white; color 

 of bill, varying with different specimens, from flesh-color 

 and yellowish to darker and more reddish tint; the nail 

 at end, white, or nearly so; legs and feet, orange, the 

 webs lighter, and the claws white. Length, twenty- seven 

 inches; extent, sixty inches; weight, six pounds. 



The white-fronted goose, called "brant" or " speck- 

 led belly" by nearly all Western sportsmen, is rarely 



