814 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSilAN. 



way, more particularly in foggy weather, when they have been 

 known to alight in the immediate vicinity of the farm-houses, 

 apparently much confused and wonder-struck at their peculiar 

 and dangerous position. When feeding, sanding, or sleeping, 

 they always place sentinels on guard, wdio are regularly re- 

 lieved at the lapse of an hour or so. These sentinels are ever 

 on the alert with wide-extended necks, and give the alarm to 

 their companions at the slightest intimation of danger. 



DESCRIPTIOX. 



The length of this species is three feet; extent five feet two 

 inches; the bill is black; iridcs dark hazel; upper half of the 

 neck black, marked on the chin and lower part of the head 

 with a large patch of white, its distinguishing character; lower 

 part of the neck before white ; back and wing-coverts brown, 

 each feather tipped with whitish ; rump and tail black ; tail- 

 coverts and vent white; primaries black, reaching to the ex- 

 tremity of the tail; sides pale ashy brown; legs and feet black- 

 ish ash. 



"The male and female are exactly alike in plumage." 



ANAS HYrERBOPvEA. SNOW GOOSE. . 



" Hoarse, heavy Geese, scream up the distant sky, 

 And all the tlmndei-s of our boat defy." 



This beautiful Fowl is known upon our coast as the Red 

 Goose, and makes its appearance in the rivers of the Eastern 

 States early in November ; and as the Winter progresses pro- 

 ceeds further South; it also stops with us on its return to the 

 North early in the Spring, or rather late in the Winter. 



Snow Geese are numerous on the coast of Jersey and in the 

 Delaware Ba3^ They frequent the marshes and reed}' shores 

 to feed upon the roots of various marine plants — more particu- 

 larly that called sea-cabbage. Their bills being very strong 

 and well supplied with powerful teeth, they pull up with great 

 facility the roots of sedge and all other [)lants. 



Their flesh, thou2;h not fishv, is stroii;i, but we think better 

 than that of the Domestic Fowl. 



