96 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



In Ontario the Snow Goose can only be regarded as a casual 

 visitor during the season of migration, for its summer home, accord- 

 ing to Dr. Bell, is " still to the north of the regions known to the 

 Eskimo," whence it retires to the south at the approach of winter. 

 It is seen at different points in this province during spring and fall, 

 but as there are seldom more than two or three together, they are 

 regarded as stragglers from the main body, whose line of migration 

 is along the Mississippi or the Pacific coast. The specimen in my 

 collection was killed at the Beach, in the month of December, a 

 few years ago, while making its way toward the open water in Lake 

 Ontario. 



Dr. Macallum, speaking of the occurrence of this species at Dumi- 

 ville, says: "The Greater Snow Goose is often seen here in small flocks 

 in the fall, when they frequent fall-wheat fields near the lake, often 

 in company with the Canada Geese. I have three specimens in my 

 collection taken here, two of which came up to farmers' barns with 

 the tame ducks and were domesticated." 



Sir John Richardson, in the , Fauna Boreali Americana after 

 noting the abundance of these birds, continues: "The eggs, of a 

 yellowish-white color, and regularly ovate form, are a little larger 

 than those of an Eider Duck, their length being three inches and their 

 greatest breadth two. The young fly in August, and by the middle 

 of September all have departed southward. 



" The Snow Goose feeds 011 rushes, insects and, in autumn, on 

 berries, particularly those of the empetrum nigrum. When well 

 fed it is a very excellent bird, far superior to the Canada Goose in 

 juiciness and flavor. It is said that the young do not attain their full 

 plumage before the fourth year, and until that period they appear to 

 keep in separate flocks. They are numerous at Albany Fort, in the 

 southern part of Hudson's Bay, where the old birds are rarely seen, 

 and, on the other hand, the old birds in their migrations visit York 

 Factory in great abundance, but are seldom accompanied by the 

 young." 



Samples of the eggs in the Smithsonian Institute agree exactly 

 with the above description, but show the usual variation in size, 

 some being noticeably less than three inches in length by over two 

 in breadth. 



The occurrence of one specimen of the Lesser Snow Goose (Chen 

 hyperborea} is reported by Mr. W. E. Saunders. 



