110 



GEESE 



Barnacle Goose 



Branta leucopsis 

 (bran-ta, Iu-k6p-sis) 



Colour Plate No. 3. Downy Young No. 32. 



SCIENTIFIC NAME 



Branta, a corruption of Greek brenthos or brinthos, being the Aristotelian name 

 of an unknown bird; leucopsis, from Greek leucos, meaning white, and opsis, mean- 

 ing appearance, referring to the white face. The vernacular name "Barnacle" refers 

 to the ancient Norse belief that these geese were hatched from barnacles. 



COLLOQUIAL NAMES 



None in North America; in Great Britain it is known as bar goose, and 

 clakis, and in France as bernache, or oie bernache (barnacle goose), and oie nonnette 

 (nun goose). 



DESCRIPTION 



ADULTS, BOTH SEXES. Head, white, except for small black patch between 

 eye and bill, and an extension of black, continuous from black neck, over hind 

 head including crown; bill, black; eye, brown or hazel. Body. Chest, solidly black, 

 sharply defined against white of breast and merging into blackish back; scapulars, 

 blended with silvery grey and black; rump, black; sides, silvery grey, barred with 

 white; belly and flanks; white; feathering of legs, black; feet, black. Tail, black; 

 upper and under coverts, white. Wings. All coverts, silvery grey, basally, then with 

 broad bar of brownish black, tipped narrowly with white, general effect a scaled 

 design; primaries, silvery grey, becoming blackish towards tips and on inner webs; 

 lining and axillars, silvery grey. 



JUVENILE. Similar to adults, but dark area browner, and white of head 

 speckled with dark feathers. Full adult plumage 

 after first summer moult. 



SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION 



ADULTS. General effect: A small goose, with 

 white head, black neck and chest, greyish upper- 

 parts and white breast. Chief distinguishing fea- 

 tures (a) white head, with black crown and hind 

 head, and small patch between eye and bill, 

 (b) solidly black chest and neck. 



Similar to American and Black Brants but 

 separated from these by its white head, the heads 

 of both of those species being solidly black. All 

 the Canada Geese have white cheek-patches but 

 lack the black chest of the Barnacle Goose. 

 JUVENILES. See "Description." 



FIELD MARKS 



(An European species, only on occasional mari- 

 time visitor to the Atlantic seaboard.) 



ON THE WATER AND IN FLIGHT. Very 

 much like the American Brant but the white face, 

 throat, and forehead will identify it even at a con- 

 siderable distance. In all habits and movements 

 it is similar to the Brant. (See American Brant.) 



