BIRDS OF 

 63. BRANTA BERNICLA (LINN.). 173. 



Brant . 



Head, neck, body anteriorly, quills and tail black ; a small patch of 

 white streaks on the middle of the neck, and usually white touches on the 

 under eyelid and chin ; upper tail-coverts white ; back brownish-gray, under 

 parts the same but paler, and fading into white on lower belly and crissum ; 

 black of jugulum well-defined against the color of the breast ; length 2 feet ; 

 wing, 13 ; tail, 5 ; bill, i 1-3 ; tarsus, 2^. 



HAB. Northern parts of Northern hemisphere ; in North America 

 chiefly the Atlantic coast ; rare in the interior, or away from salt water 



Breeds in high latitudes, 



Another casual visitor to the waters of Ontario, where it is 

 less frequently seen than either of the other geese. It is by no 

 means a scarce species, but seems partial to the sea coast. In 

 the list of the birds of Western Ontario it is mentioned as a 

 " rather rare migrant." I have only seen it once, flying 

 past, out of reach. 



SUBFAMILY CYGNIN^E. SWANS. 



GENUS OLOR WAGLER. 



64. OLOR COLUMBIANUS (ORD.). 180. 



Whistling Swan. 



Size and color of the next species except a yellow spot on bill near 

 base. Bill not longer-than the head ; nostrils median. Tail (normally) of 

 twenty feathers. 



HAB. The whole of North America, breeding far nor*h. 

 Eggs 2 to 5 ; dull white stained with brown. 



These beautiful birds, never at any time abundant, are now 

 very seldom seen in Ontario. I once saw four in full adult 

 plumage come up Lake Ontario on a very stormy afternoon 

 toward the end of March *, they evidently expected to find rest 



72 



