BRANT ; OR, BRENT GOOSE. 269 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



BRANT ; OK, BRENT GOOSE. 



(Anser Bernicla.*) 



BILL, black ; head and neck all round black ; a patch 

 on the sides of the neck white ; upper parts brownish 

 gray, the feathers margined with light grayish brown ; 

 quills and primary coverts grayish black ; fore part of 

 breast light brownish gray, the feathers terminally mar- 

 gined with grayish white; the abdomen and lower 

 tail coverts white ; sides, gray, the feathers rather 

 broadly tipped with white. Length, two feet ; wings, 

 14 1-2 inches. Female rather smaller. 



I have no doubt, when many experienced wild fowl 

 hunters read the title to this article, then read the de- 

 scription given, they will instantly say, at least think, 

 that my description is that of the Hutchin's Goose, and 

 that the sketch of the "white-fronted goose" should 

 be that of the Brant. A frank confession on my part 

 compels me to agree with them, for no "Western wild 

 fowl shooter would call this scientific description of 

 Brant or Brent goose to be an accurate representation 

 of the Brant, as it is universally recognized in the West, 

 among practical hunters. While on the contrary, the 

 description of the white-fronted goose one recognizes 

 at a glance as that of the well-known Brant. 



After a careful and exhaustive examination of the 



