BIRDS OF KANSAS. 101 



feathers distinctly bordered terminally with a much paler and more brownish 

 shade; wings like the back, but with a somewhat plumbeous cast, the paler 

 margins nearly obsolete. Secondaries blackish brown; primaries brownish 

 black; tail uniform black, but almost concealed by the snow white lengthened 

 coverts, the upper of which, however, are invaded by a medial stripe of black- 

 ish plumbeous, brown from the rump. Breast, abdomen, sides and flanks much 

 like the upper parts, but the light tips to the feathers whiter, broader, and more 

 conspicuous; anal region and crissum immaculate snow white. Young: Similar 

 to the adult, but the wing coverts and secondaries broadly tipped with pure 

 white, forming very conspicuous bars; lower parts paler and more uniform; 

 white on middle of the neck reduced to small specks." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. IVing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 25.00 45.50 13.25 4.60 2.30 1.40 



Female... 23.50 43.00 12.00 4.00 2.20 1.25 



These birds are abundant on the Atlantic coast; south in 

 winter to Florida; (two specimens taken in Kansas;) they have 

 been found breeding from Parry's Islands, latitude 74 north, to 

 the highest latitudes reached. During winter they collect in 

 immense flocks, feeding at low tide upon marine plants, Crustacea, 

 etc., never diving for the same, (although they can do so when 

 winged and hard pressed,) but procure food in shallow water 

 by immersing the head and neck. During high water they rest 

 out in the open bays, often going upon remote sand bars to dust 

 their feathers; while feeding and flying are noisy, keeping up 

 an almost continual cackle. Their flight is rather slow and very 

 irregular, often bunching together and suddenly rising and fall- 

 ing as they go; even when migrating, their Y-shaped form is 

 frequently partially broken by an apparent effort to gain the 

 leadership. These birds are sought after so much by the sports- 

 man, as well as the gunners for the market, that they have 

 become very wild, and are ever upon the lookout, avoiding all 

 points of land, blinds, boats, etc., and it requires great skill and 

 strategy to approach near enough to kill with an ordinary gun. 

 They commence nesting in June. Sir John Ross reports find- 

 ing them breeding in immense numbers on the beach of the 

 South Cape Islands. Their nests, which thickly covered the 

 ground, were placed on the beach, a perfect mass of down and 

 feathers, in which three or four eggs were buried. Morris, in 

 his "British Birds," says: "The nest of the Brant Goose is 



