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LAMKLMKOSTUAL SWIMMKUrt — ANSEUES. 



M' 





iHLiw>< tlinm^^liout thf iiortliwi'slirn |K)ititm»t of the continent (iM-ing ihi' mily one known to bri'ud 

 in Aliixka), ami in w mtcr iniputtM ovi-r thf whoh> of the country from tliu Puciflc coiiHt to the 

 Mississippi N'lillcy. Tiir other, with iiiixfr ^ciirnil si/t- mikI ilispro|MirlioniUcly heavier hill, liri'cils 

 ill the rci^'ion alioiit ihulson's llay, ami in winttr nij}{ratuH Koulhwai>l chiolly aioii^' tlu' Atlantic 

 coiwt. This hiiil is the Atia* nirtilu of Forsi»r (I""-), ami if it i» to W recognized iw u nice, us 

 We think it oiiKhl, il slmnlil Ix' callcil Chm (or Aiimr) liijjHrliimiiA tiirdlin. 



Ainoni,' the spicinuns cxaniini'il is a yonn^ hinl (S«. kMMh, U. S. Nat. Mus., S. Turner, coll.) 

 ohtaineil at Mount Carinel, 111. (in winter), which is .xceplionally sniall, nieasuiin>;, win^;, 11.. 'hi ; 

 cnlmeii, :i.(i.") ; depth of maxilla, at has.-, !.:.'(); tarsus, :{.(HI; middle toe. •i.iMi. Of the llfteeii 

 examined alto^'i'lher, all possessed sixteen rectrices except one, an adult from Alaska, which had 

 einhleen tail-feathers. 



An ailult male killed at Mount ("armel, III., Oct. fl, \HT.i (No. H4(!!M(, U. Ridoway, ndl.), 

 nieii.siireil,wlien liesh, 27.(Ki inches in length and riT.tHi in extent, and wei^died Ti] Ills. The fresh 

 colors of the iinfeatheieil ))ortioiis weii-asfidlows ; ltjllhri};ht salmon-pink, U'comiiixhriKhter llesh- 

 color around the nostril, and more dilute purplish on the lower maiiililile ; un;;iii yidlowish white, 

 nnd commissural space deep Mack ; iris dark lirown ; evidids j(reeiiish white ; feet <lilute purple- 

 lake, the s(des of the toes dull lii,dit naples-yellow. An atlult male collected nt Pyramid Like. 

 Nev., Dec. 28, |H(i7 (No. .'■>:Mi!HI, l'. S. \at. Mus., 11. HllMiW.W, coll.), weij;hed T. llis. ; leli^'tll, 2S.(l(i 

 inches. Bill dull li^^dit salmon-purple, U'coiniii^ white on the un;;ui ; the tuilmon-color ]iurest on 

 the culnien, and most ]iurplish liasally ; the Mack of the commissural space Heparated from the 

 purple hy a backward extension of the white of the nail ; iijdidn Jkdi-aihir ; iris vandyke-hrowii ; 

 tarsi and toes deep Htilnion-]iurple ; claws Mack. 



An immature specimen, collected at the Sink of the FiumlHddt, Nev., Oct. 31, IHGT (Xo. 

 63(181), U. HiiHiW.VY, coll.), dilfereil in the eolor of till' liillaiid feet as fidhtws : Hill blackish dusky, 

 beconiint; ^Teenish slule on the up|H'r loisjil portion ; tarsi and toes greenish slate. 



The Snow GodHi' is an Arctic .s|K'('ics, coinnum to Initli continents, and ocrurrinf; 

 (luring tiic siininnM' in hi^'li nortlicni latitinlcs. It is foiiinl in its niiKi-atiuns on liotli 

 coasts, as well as on inlainl water in the interior, is almntlant on the i'acilic, luit rare 

 on the Atlantic coast, and visitinp even .Japan, avIicic its local name is Jlahut/aii. 



According' to Mr. Hoardnian, it is liy no means nnconnnon on tlio coast of Maine ; 

 and the same is trtic of the rcj,'ion adjiu-ent to the St. Croix Iviver. It is, liowever. 

 comparatively rare in Mas.sa(dinsetts. On Loiifj Island, accordinj,' to (Jiraiid. it is also 

 not coninion. Occasionally tiie yoimt,' "^ this species are seen ex|io.sed for sale in the 

 New York markets, but the adults rarely. In .some seasons small Hocks are met 

 with on the South Ihiy. and now and then strag>,'leis are noticed ttyiiin in company 

 with the common (V.nada (loo.se. Tiie wliiten«'ss of their plumap' renders tiieni very 

 consjiicncms, and wlien opportunity otters they are sinj,'h'd out liy the hunters. On tlie 

 Jersey coast this bird is known as the' " lied Goo-m-," and it there usually makes its 

 first aiipearance in November. As tlio winter ]irofjresses it proceeds farther s(uitli. 

 stopjiinj? again on its return to the north, late in winter or early in spring. At times il 

 is said to be abundant on the coast of New Jersey and in Delaware J$ay. It there fre- 

 quents the marshes and reedy shores, feeding n]ion the roots of various marine jilants. 

 particularly that known as the sejwabbage. Its bill is very strong, enabling it to imll 

 uj) the roots of sedges and other marine jdants with great ease. The Hesh — while it 

 canin)t be called tishy — has a strong and jKn-uliar taste, but is held in high estima- 

 tion by some ejiicures, who consider it sujK'rior to that of the tame (Joose. 



On the Pacific^ coast this bird is more or less abundant frfim Alaska and Washing- 

 ton Territory to Southern California. Dr. Coojmt mentions having seen large flocks 

 of this species at Los Angeles in Decemlx-r. 18(»<). It occurs in great mimbers in the 

 middle and western portions of (California in winter, freipienting esjiecially the 

 marshes and plains near tlu; sea, sometimes ai)i»earing on the sandy bars about 



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