fr 



ANSERIN.E — THE flEESE — BERNICLA. 



457 



Am. 1858, 



m. B. 1882, 



the United 

 [xUfomia to 

 the Missis- 

 ; of Alaska, 



avering the 

 nver above, 

 iuternipted 

 iiore or less 

 ly bordered 

 from almost 

 k-ilh the ex- 

 ile concealed 

 ed along the 

 nearly black 

 il plain deep 

 le adult, luit 

 lually below 

 Lisky ; light- 

 ipital patch, 



2.70 ; depth 

 ■3.40. Tail- 



nadcnsis in 



lich vary to 



at the same 



of the maxi- 



eu, 64.81 per 



the smaller 

 varies with 

 18 or more, 

 jnstrained to 

 s ■>{ one spe- 

 letween even 

 ecies such as 

 infrequently 



gray some- 

 ;che9 usually 

 ilumnge very 

 , 15.60-21.00 



inches ; culmen, l.r),")-2.70 ; depth of mandible at base, .80-1.20 ; width, .7')-!, 20 ; tar- 

 .sus, 2.45-3.70 ; miildle toe, 2.2r)-;5.;50. (Ten specimens measured.) Hub. United States 

 generally, and Hiitisli Provinces, breeding cliielly north of 40°. 



2. Occidentalis. Whole ])luniage more biowu than in camuLimis, the lower parts onlv 



slightly paler than the upper, the deep brown of the abdomen contrasted abruptly witli 

 the white of the anal region ; white cheek-patches fre(iuently separated by a black tlnoat- 

 stripe, and white collar round lower neck usually very distinct in winter plumage. Wing, 

 1(5.25-18. 00 inches; culmen, 1.40-1.()5; depth of maxilla at base, .80-.!)5 ; width, .70- 

 1.00 ; tarsus, 3.or)-3.25 ; middle toe, 2.50-2.7"). (Two s[>ecimens measured.) JJuh. 

 Northwest coast, south to California in winter; north to Sitka. 

 B. Tail-feathers usually 13 to 16 ; size usually .small. 



3. Hutchinsi. E.xactly like canadcnsk in plumage, but averaging slightly darker; size 



smaller. Wing, 14.75-17.75 inches ; culmen, 1.20-1.90; depth of maxilla at b.isc, .70- 

 1.00; width, .60-.85 ; tarsus, 2.25-3.20 ; middle toe, 2.05-2.80. (Seventeen specimens 

 measured.) Jftth. Breeding in the Arctic Eegion.s, migrating south in winter, chiefly 

 through the Western United States and Mississippi Valley. 



4. Leucopareia. Exactly like occiikntalis in colors, but averaging still darker, the size 



much smaller. Wing, 13.(iO-l().35 inches; culmen, .95-1.35 ; depth of maxilla at base, 

 .60-.7.5; width, ..52-70 ; tarsus, 2.10-3.10 ; middle toe, 1.80-2.4,5. (Ten specimens meas- 

 uied.) Huh. Breeding in the Western Arctic llegiuns (coast of Alaska, etc.), migrating 

 Southward into AVestern United States, though occasionally .straying eastward to the 

 Mississippi Valley. 



It is barely possible that the several forms defined above reallj^ represent as many distinct 

 species, and the intermediate specimens which occur are the result of extensive hybridization ; or 

 there may be two species, a larger 

 and smaller (B. canadensis and B. 

 nntchinsi), distinguished al.so by a 

 difference in the number of rectrice.s, 

 and each having a darker western 

 representative race. Indeed we are 

 inclined to regard the latter view with 

 considerable favor. At present, how- 

 ever, we can do no more than to de- 

 scribe each form in detail, and present 

 the history of each as known at the i, 



present tinie.^ / IV 



n. canadensis. — The Large Can- 

 ada Goose. 



Adult (No. 10402, Salt Lake, Utah ; 

 Captain Stansburv) : Size very large, 

 the bill lengthened and depressed, 

 the lower jiarts pale gray in c(dor, 

 fading insensibly into (he white of the 

 anal region. White gular patch im- 

 macidate. Wing, 20.00 inches ; cul- 

 men, 2.10; tarsus, 3.30; middle toe, ^1- canadensis. 

 3.20. Tail-feather.s, 17. 



1 Since the above was written many additional specimens of 11. hucopanh Imve l.oen received nt 

 the National Mn.seun,. These arc so uniforn, in all their charncto,-s as to leave no ,l,,ul.t n. n,y nn.u 

 that the species is distiu.t fron. B. canndcnsi... The relationship of /A IMchin.i is st.il uncertam, but 

 the probabilitv is that it represents a lighter-clored inland race of U„co,,„rna : thoa«li on he other hand, 

 it may k- a small northern forn, of cmutd^^ms, bearing the snuie relation to the latter that Ona, cam,, 

 dcnm'.i does to G. mexkana. — U. 11. 



vui,. I. — rjS 



