BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 75 
CHEN HYPERBOREA NIVALIS (forstTeER). (169a.) 
GREATER SNOW GOOSE. 
In nearly every migration from the north of the Lesser Snow 
Geese there has been occasionally an individual shot where 
the measures have been greater than those given for the species, 
some of which reach the figures given for the Greater species, 
yet in habits I have discovered no difference whatever between 
them. I wait for more light on the specific differences upon 
which the classification rests. The measures hitherto given by 
all authorities have been: 
Length, 30; wing, 16.30; tarsus, 3.12; commissure, 2.10. 
Habitat, whole of North America. 
ANSER ALBIFRONS GAMBELI (Harruavus), (171a.) 
AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 
In the summer of 1876, I found a mounted specimen of the 
male of this species in high plumage, in the coliection of Mr. 
Shroeder, a taxidermist of St. Paul. He could tell me nothing 
about its history except that he obtained it of a local sports- 
man in the previous spring. Since then I have met with occa: 
sional small flocks of them, both in spring and autumn, in the 
height of the anserial migrations, and have received reports 
from a number of observers in different sections of the state. 
Mr. James Thumpson, of Lanesboro, shot one on his mill pond 
on the 11th of April, 1888. Mr. Clague, to whom reference has 
already been made, residing at Herman, in Grant county, has 
shot several near that place, and Mr. John Cutter, of Minne- 
apolis, has bagged them at Big Stone, and on the Minnesota 
bottoms within an hour’s ride of his residence. Yet they should 
not be regarded as by any means common. 
I am quite familiar with the White-fronted Goose in its 
favorite region on the Pacific coast, where it is rather the 
choicest of its kind for eating, and where immense numbers are 
brought into the markets of Sacramento, Stockton and San 
Francisco. It was of this species that the largest number was 
obtained at a single shot of a ‘‘California Duck Gun” which 
has ever been recorded. Hunted constantly in the ‘‘Tules” as 
they have been for many years, they have long since become 
shy, and exceedingly difficult of approach. To meet this, an 
ox is trained to obey the sutta voce commands of the gunner 
as he walks beside him, keeping step with the forelegs by 
