WILD FOWL. 55 



and rounded, some of the inner rather pointed. Tail very short, 

 graduated, of twenty- four stiffish, moderately broad, rather point- 

 ed feathers, of which the middle exceeds the lateral by two 

 inches and a quarter. 



" Bill and feet black, the outer lamellate edges of the lower 

 mandible, and the inside of the mouth yellowish flesh-color. The 

 plumage is pure white, excepting the upper part of the head, 

 which varies from brownish-red to white, apparently without 

 reference to age or sex, as in Cijgnus Americanus and Anser Hy- 

 perhoreus. 



" Length to end of tail, 68 inches ; bill along the ridge, 4/3; 

 from the eye to the tip, 6 ; along the edge of the lower mandible, 

 41^2 ; breadth of upper mandible near the base, l/, j near the 

 end, 1x2 '•> wing from flexure, 27; tail, 8', ; tarsus, 4y\ ; first toe, 

 y| — its claw, X2 ; second toe, 4i^ — its claw, 1 ; third toe, 6 — its 

 claw, lyV ; fourth toe, 5\\ — its claw, jf. 



" Young after the first month : 



" In winter the young has the bill black, with the middle 

 portion of the ridge to the length of an inch and a half, light 

 flesh-color, and a large elongated patch of light dull purple on 

 each side ; the edge of the lower mandible and the tongue dull 

 yellowish flesh-color ; the eye is a dark brown. The feet dull 

 yellowish-brown tinged with olive, the claws brownish -black, 

 the webs blackish-brown. The upper part of the head and 

 cheeks are light reddish-brown, each feather having toward its 

 extremity a small, oblong, whitish spot, narrowly margined with 

 dusky ; the throat nearly white, as well as the edge of the lower 

 eyelid. The general color of the other parts is grayish-white, 

 slightly tinged with yellow ; the upper part of the neck marked 

 with spots similar to those on the head. 



" Length to end of tail, 52\ inches; extent of wings, 91; 

 wing from flexure, 23t ; bill along the ridge, 4 j ; from the an- 

 gle of the eye, 6 ; along the edge of the lower mandible, 4| ; 

 tarsus, 4| ; hind toe, 1] — its claw, | ; middle toe, 6{ — its claw, 

 1; inner toe, 4| — its claw, |^; outer toe, 6! — its claw, f; 

 weight, 19 lbs. 8 oz. The bird was very poor. 



