ROSS GOOSE (Chen rossi}. This is by far 

 the smallest of our geese, measuring but 21 

 in. in length, about the same size as the Mal- 

 lard. The greatest difference between this 

 species and Snow Geese, besides size, lies in 

 the bill, which has less prominent teeth, little 

 or no black along the open sides and which is 

 ^ studded about the base with numerous little 



JB^~ carunculations. The breeding grounds are 

 unknown, but are supposed to be north of 

 Mackenzie. It is regarded as quite a rare 

 bird, but sometimes appears in considerable 

 numbers in California during winter. 



EMPEROR GOOSE (Philacte canagica). 

 We have not figured this species since it is 

 found in such a restricted and little visited 

 area, it occurring only on the Alaskan coast 

 chiefly north of the Aleutian Islands. It is 

 a handsome species, the sexes as usual being 

 alike in plumage. The white head is relieved 

 by a black throat which shades into the 

 bluish, slate-colored body, each feather of 

 which is edged with black and white so as 

 to produce a very scaly effect. 



WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser al- 

 bifrons gambeli). In the interior and west- 

 ern portions of America this is one of the 

 most abundant species of geese, but on the 

 Atlantic seaboard they are only of casual oc- 

 currence. They breed near the Arctic coast, 

 west of Hudson Bay, and pass the winter 

 months in the lower Mississippi Valley and on the Pacific coast. 



White-fronted Geese are very noisy, their loud and continued cackling 

 being responsible for their being known quite commonly as "Laughing 

 Geese." They are less often called "Pied Brant." When young birds first 

 arrive from the north, they are not timid, and many are killed, but they soon 

 become very shy and difficult to approach. When feeding, they post senti- 

 nels to warn the rest of the flock of approaching danger. Most of them 

 are secured by hunters who ambush them on the way to and from their feed- 

 ing grounds. Their mode of flight is a V-shaped formation, the bird at the 

 apex leading the way until tired and then falling back to the end of the 

 line and allowing a new leader to break the wind. 



ROSS GOOSE 

 WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE 



22 



