GEESE. 



110 



alwayH diHtinjjumli tlim spocics from fK timtrhnnnyVthWc it may bo known 

 tVoni dnjlauili l»y tlio ul>ni'iioi: <»t" wliito in the wiri^fs, 



liitiHji,-~\\vvxdn t'r<»in till! tJulf of St. Luwronctj n(trthwunl; wintcTM nouth- 

 wurd to tliu (>ri-ut Lakc-H and Virv(iniu, and (.'lu^ually t<> Florida. 



Wa.sliinj^toii, citsuai W. V, \.i\\\)i Inland, cominon \\ . \'., «»ct. tlirt>U:,'li 

 Ajil. Sin'j 8in]|r, connuun T. V., Ui-t. 7 to (At. -ii. C'uinl)iid);c, ortuKional 

 In full. 



A>/»<, in tjill jrrnssi'fl near water, /-'yj^;*, " fl vi' to ci;.'lit, pule huff or pulo 

 orcuniy bulf, 'J^T x 170 " ilkidgw.j. 



167* Erlamatura mblda i W'lh.). Kiddy Dick. a,L j.— Topot 



tlic lieud hluok, cliuuks and chin white, throat and buck rutbuH-i'luHtnut, 

 lower buck blucki«h ; breu.>*t and bully silvery white; iijiper tail-eovertft riry 

 Bhort, tail-featherrt dif and pointed. Ad. 9 niitl Int. — Tppcr part.s dark trray- 

 ish brow II, the feather?* marked with line wavy barn of Imlly ; hid»H of tho 

 head and upper throat whiti.><h. lower throat jrrayish, rent of tho under partH 

 silvery white, L., l.VOO; W., irW) ; Tur., ll.'i; !{., In.'i. 



liftnitrkK. — The short upper tail-eovert-s and stiff, pointed tuil-feuthir» will 

 alwuya serve to identify this species. 



liitiiije. — Of ".'enerul distribution from northern Soutli America to the fur 

 countries, breedinj^ larf^ely northward, but locally throuffliout its rango 

 ((iranadu, Wells; Guatemalu, Sulvin; Cuba, Uundlach ; Cape Cod, Milleri. 



Washington, eonmion W. V., Sept. to A pi. Long Island, irrctriilur T. V. 

 Sing Sinj?, common T. V'., Meh. 14 to Apl. »i ; Oct. T) to Oct. 'JIS. Cambridge, 

 very eonnnon in Oct. and Nov. 



Mtd, in a slough or marshy place, generally on a mass of floating vegeta- 

 tion. //j7{/», si.\ to ten, creamy or l)uffy white, 'jrrti x ISO. 



" When rising from the water, it runs on tho siirfnce for potno (lis 

 tance. and gencnvlly against the wind. If it can not coinnnind a fair 

 open space for flight, it will dive, using its tail either us a rudder or as 

 a paddle in a vertical motion, and will hide itself away among the 

 grass and sedges. VVlien on the wing, it flies low along the surface of 

 the water, with a rapid beat of it.s broad wings, making a short, plump 

 figure quite uncommon for a Duck ; and it generally flies quite a dis- 

 tance before alighting " (Langllle). In swimming, tlie tail is sometimes 

 held erect at right angles to the body. 



The Masked Dvvk. ( 16S. Xoi/mtit/r dn»i!/ilriis) is n tropical species of 

 accidental occurrence in America. Single specimens have been taken in 

 Wisconsin, New York, and near Cambridge, Mass. 



will 



Suhfamt'h/ An.<iPrinfp. GeefiC 



Geese are vegetarians. When on tho water, they feed largely by 

 tipping, as with head and neck immersed and tail j)oin1ing skyward 

 they search for the roots or seeds of aquatic plants. ' oy are far 

 more terrestrial than Ducks, and visit the land to nip tnc herbage, 



