ANSER 591 



in India ; has also been recorded, in error it would seem, from 

 Japan. 



In habits it differs but little from A. ferns, and is generally 

 met with on or near the sea coast. Its nest is placed in some 

 grass-covered place, near a river, or on a cliff, always where the 

 bird can have a good view of the surrounding country. It 

 deposits early in July 4 to 5 eggs, which resemble those of 

 A.ferus but measure only 3*33 by 2*26. 



824. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 

 ANSER ALBIFRONS. 



Anser albifrons (Scop.), Ana. i. Hist. Nat. p. 69 (1769) ; Naum. xi. 

 p. 351, Taf. 289 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 387, pi. cix. fig. 3 ; Gould r 

 B. of E. v. pi. 349 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. v. pi. 4 ; Dresser, vi. 

 p. 375, pi. 414 ; Salvador!, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvii. p. 92 ; David 

 and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 492 ; Kidgway, p. 116 ; Blanf. F. Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, iv. p. 417 ; Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 237 ; Saimders, 

 p. 399 ; Lilford, vii. p. 60, pi. 21. 



Oie rieuse, French ; Oca lonibardella, Ital. ; Bldssengans, Lach- 

 gans, German ; Kolgans, Dutch ; Blisgaas, Dan. and Norweg. ; 

 Blcisgds, Swed. ; Kazarka, Russ. ; Kari-gane, Jap. 



(J ad. (Scotland). Upper parts dark ashy brown, the wing-coverts 

 jishy brown tipped with dirty white ; a broad band covering the forehead 

 extending nearly to the eye, and a smaller spot at the base of the lower 

 mandible pure white ; under parts white, the flanks ashy brown, the 

 breast and abdomen boldly blotched with black ; bill and legs orange- 

 yellow, nail white ; iris dark brown. Culmen 2*25, wing 17*0, tail 6*0, 

 tarsus 2 '65 inch. Female rather smaller, with the white on the forehead 

 less developed. The young bird is duller, lacks the black on the under 

 parts and has the white on the forehead considerably less developed. 



Hob. Europe, from the north of Norway to the Mediterranean 

 rare in Finland, Greenland, and Iceland ; North Africa in the 

 winter ; Asia east to Japan, north to Siberia, south in winter 

 to Northern India ; North America south in winter to Texas, 

 Mexico, and Cuba, 



Does not differ from its allies in its habits, but is said to 

 prefer low, damp localities to the uplands. It feeds on vege- 

 table matter, but is stated by some authors to eat, to some 

 extent at least, insects. It breeds in the high north near water, 

 not immediately on the coast, making a tolerably large nest 

 which is placed on the ground, and deposits 4 to 6 yellowish 

 white eggs, which measure about 3*06 by 2'2. 



