Snow or Blue Geese 



179 



ground, but in every instance that fell under his notice they were lined with hay, 

 feathers, and down, and the number of eggs did not exceed seven. 



Other Species. We have hardly space to mention in detail the remaining 

 species of this genus beyond stating that the Bean Goose (A.fabalis}, a bird about 

 the size of the Gray-lag, having the base, tip, and edges of the bill black, with the 

 middle portion orange, is found in the breeding season in northern Russia and 

 Lapland and in winter throughout Europe and northern Africa. It is usually 

 abundant along the north coast of the British Islands in winter. Very similar 

 is the Pink-footed Goose (A. brachyrhynchus), which differs in being smaller 

 and having the legs, feet, and middle portion of the bill pink instead of orange. 

 It nests in Spitzbergen and probably Franz Joseph Land, migrating in winter 

 to northern Europe, being especially abundant at that season off the British 

 Islands. 



Snow or Blue Geese. Closely allied to the forms just considered, and by 

 some united with them, are the Snow or Blue Geese (Chen}, of which four species 

 are known, all found in, though not confined to, North America. They differ 



FIG. 58. Lesser Snow Goose, Chen hyperboreus. 



from them in having the bill stout, its depth through the base being equal to 

 much more than half the length of the culmen; the color of the adults is white or 

 bluish gray. 



The Greater Snow Goose (C. hyperboreus nivalis) is the largest form, 

 ranging from thirty to thirty-eight inches in length, and is uniform pure white 



