FAMILY XXV. 



LAMELLOSODENTATI, ILLIGER. 

 GENUS LXV. ANAS, LINNAEUS. 

 SUBGENUS I. AtfSEX, BRISSON. 



254. ANAS HTPERBOREA, GMELIN AND WILSOK. 

 SNOW GOOSE. 



WILSON, PLATE LXVIII. FIG. V MALE. 



EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THIS bird is particularly deserving of the farther 

 investigation of naturalists; for, if I do not greatly 

 mistake, English writers have, from the various appear- 

 ances which this species assumes in its progress to 

 perfect plumage, formed no less than four different 

 kinds, which they describe as so many distinct species, 

 viz. the snow goose, the white fronted or laughing 

 goose, the bean goose, the blue-winged goose, all of 

 which, I have little doubt, will hereafter be found to be 

 nothing more than perfect and imperfect individuals, 

 male and female, of the snow goose, now before us. 



This species, called on the sea coast the red goose, 

 arrives in the river Delaware from the north, early in 

 November, sometimes in considerable flocks, and is 

 extremely noisy, their notes being shriller and more 

 squeaking than those of the Canada, or common wild 

 goose. On their first arrival, they make but a short 

 stay, proceeding, as the depth of winter approaches, 

 farther to the south ; but from the middle of February 

 until the breaking up of the ice in March, they are 

 frequently numerous along both shores of the 'Dela- 

 ware, about and below Reedy Island, particularly near 

 Old Duck Creek, in the State of Delaware. They 

 feed on the roots of the reeds there, tearing them up 

 from the marshes like hogs. Their flesh, like most 



