130 WHITE-FROXTED GOOSE. 



The note is thought to resemble a laugh, and hence the 

 vernacular name. Meyer likens it to the words 'click,' 'clack,' 

 or 'cling.' 



The eggs of this species are of a white colour, with a tinge 

 of 'pale buff. 



Male; weight, from between four and five to as much some- 

 times as seven pounds; length, two feet three inches; bill, pale 

 yellowish red with a tint of orange, the tooth white; about 

 the base of the upper mandible and the beginning of the 

 forehead, the feathers are white, as indicated by the name of 

 the bird. Iris, deep dark dusky brown; forehead, white or 

 yellowish white, succeeded by a band of shaded black, forming, 

 with that about the chin, a band round that part of the head ; 

 head, crown, neck on the back, and nape, brownish grey, or 

 yellowish brown; chin, white bordered with black; throat, pale 

 greyish white; breast above, pale brownish white, with some 

 irregular black bars; below, gradually paler, with broad waves 

 of black more or less distinct; the sides greyish brown, with 

 edgings of dull white: these marks are considered by Audubon 

 to be characteristic of the breeding plumage, and they are 

 no doubt then in their greatest intensity. Back above, dark 

 greyish brown, with pale reddish brown edges to the feathers; 

 below, dark brown. 



The wings have the second quill feather the longest; greater 

 and lesser wing coverts, grey, edged with rufous white or 

 white; primaries, bluish black; secondaries, also bluish black; 

 tertiaries, margined with dull white. The tail has the middle 

 feathers dark grey, tipped with white, the outer ones nearly 

 entirely white; upper and under tail coverts, white. Legs 

 and toes, orange-colour; claws, very pale bluish grey; webs, 

 pale reddish orange. 



The female has less white on the forehead. 



In the young of the first year, the feathers about the base 

 of the upper bill are dark brown; the bill pale brown at the 

 tip. The breast is without the dark bars and patches on the 

 sides. 



