214 GEESE 



173. Branta bernicla glaucogastra (Brehm). BRANT. Ads. Head, 

 neck, throat and upper breast black; sides of the neck speckled with white; 

 back brownish gray, margined with grayish brown ; longer and lateral upper 

 tail-coverts white; lower breast ashy gray fading to white on lower belly; 

 sides darker. Im. Similar, but with less white on sides of neck and wing- 

 coverts, and secondaries tipped with white. L., 26'00; W., 13'20; Tar., 2'20; 

 B., 1-35. 



Range. N. Hemisphere. Breeds on Arctic islands n. of lat. 74 and w. 

 to about long. 100, and on the whole w. coast of Greenland; winters on the 

 Atlantic coast from Mass. s. to N. C., rarely to Fla., has been recorded in 

 the interior from Man., Ont., Colo., Nebr., Wise., Mich., Ind., and La.; 

 accidental in B. C. and Barbados. 



Washington, rare W. V. Long, Island, common T. V., Nov. 18-Jan. 8; 

 Mch. 6-May 10; a few winter. Ossining, A. V. 



Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground. Eggs, 4, 

 smooth and creamy white in color, 2'70 x 1*80 (Saunders). Date, Buchanan 

 Bay, Ellesmere Land, June 17 (Thayer Coll.). 



"Its manner of flying is different from that of the Canada Goose 

 moving in more compact bodies, less rapidly, and without seeming to 

 have a chosen leader that marked characteristic in the flight of the 

 latter. 



" While in our bays it appears inactive, seldom taking to wing unless 

 disturbed by a passing boat or the near report of a gun. 



"The Brant rises slowly, and when on the wing moves sluggishly 

 for a short distance, and, if not attracted by a distant flock, frequently 

 returns to the place it had left. Its food consists of a marine plant 

 (Zoster a marina], commonly called 'eel grass.' At low water it is seen 

 industriously at work tearing up its favorite plant. After the tide has 

 risen to such a height as to compel it to relinquish its vocation, it is 

 seen drifting with the current, feeding sumptuously on the fruits of 

 its labor." (Giraud.) 



174. Branta nigricans (Lawr.). BLACK BRANT. Bears a general 

 resemblance to the preceding species, but may be readily distinguished by its 

 much darker lower breast and upper belly, which are nearly as dark as the 

 back, and by having white markings on the front as well as on the sides of 

 the neck. 



Range. W. N. Am. Breeds on the Arctic coast and islands from Pt. 

 Barrow e. to near mouth of Anderson River, n. probably to Melville Island ; 

 common on Siberian coast, Chukchi Peninsula, and w. to New Siberian 

 Islands; winters on the Pacific coast from B. C. s. to San Quintin Bay, 

 L. Calif., in the interior of Ore., and Nev., and on the Asiatic coast s. to 

 Japan; recorded as a straggler to Mass., N. Y., and N. J. 



Long Island, A. V. 



Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground. Eggs, 5-7, 

 dull ivory-white or grayish white, 2'85 x 1*82 (B., B., and R.). Date, Admi- 

 ralty Bay, Alaska, June 19. 



This is the western representative of the preceding species. It is 

 of casual occurrence on the Atlantic coast, about a dozen birds having 

 been recorded from between Massachusetts and New Jersey. 



1910. Fay, S. P., Auk, XXVII, 336. 



The BARNACLE GOOSE (175. Branta leucopsis) is an Old World species 

 which visits Greenland regularly in the fall, and is sometimes found on our 



