94 GEESE 



COLLOQUIAL NAMES 



IN GENERAL USE: Brant; little honker. IN LOCAL USE: Bernache; bisk-a-sish (a Cree 

 Indian name, said to be properly spelled apistiskeesh); black brant; blackleg; Cali- 

 fornia goose; China goose; crybaby; eastern brant; Eskimo goose; flight goose; 

 goose brant; grey mud goose; prairie goose; short-necked goose; southern goose. 



DESCRIPTION 



ADULTS, BOTH SEXES. (Abundant variety of the midwest.) Smaller than 

 Common Canada Goose and Western Canada Goose, but larger than Richardson's 

 and Cackling Goose. General pattern and coloration same as in the Common Canada 

 Goose, except that the "stocking" may be somewhat shorter proportionately. 



JUVENILE. Moults and plumages similar to those of Common Canada Goose. 



SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION 



See Common Canada Goose. 



FIELD MARKS 



Same as for Common Canada Goose. 



VOICE. The same as the Common Canada Goose but higher pitched, sharper 

 and noticeably less sonorous. The voice is an excellent, and often the best, field 

 mark. 



LIFE STORY 



The Lesser Canada Goose is the goose which up to 1931 has mas- 

 queraded as "Hutchins's Goose." It must be remembered that in all 

 literature prior to that date, whenever Hutchins's Goose is referred to, 

 the Lesser Canada Goose is the one to which the remarks are applicable. 

 All those who have known this bird as "Hutchins's" should accustom 

 themselves to calling it by its new and correct name. 



The facts leading up to this change of name are as follows: In 1831 

 Sir John Richardson discovered a very small goose in the Hudson Bay, 

 which he named Hutchins's Goose, hutchinsi, for Mr. Hutchins of the 

 Hudson's Bay Company. In the course of years this little goose was 

 either forgotten or overlooked by naturalists and its name was erroneous- 

 ly applied to the present bird. When, a few years ago, the original little 

 Hutchins's Goose was rediscovered and the facts of the case became 

 known, its name was bestowed upon it in the 1931 Edition of the A.O.U. 

 Check List, and the present bird, which for the moment had no name, 

 was then called the Lesser Canada Goose. 



The Lesser Canada Goose is proportionately shorter of neck than are 

 the other varieties of Canadian Geese, and is often referred to as the 

 "short-necked goose." It is the most abundant member of its tribe in 

 the west, where it has afforded grand sport for the gunner and where its 

 excellent table properties have made it a most popular game bird. Its 



