218 University of California Publications in Zoology  [V0. i 
said that the two kinds flock separately, for the most part; and that 
the larger race is never seen in such big flocks as is customary with 
the other, but is most frequently noted singly or in pairs. Also that 
while the smaller variety is a common frequenter of grain fields and 
uplands generally, the larger one is pre-eminently a denizen of open 
water or of ponds and sloughs surrounded by tules and willows. The 
predilection of the latter species for such localities has given rise to 
the local names by which it is known, ‘‘tule goose’’ or ‘‘timber goose,”’ 
as contrasted with the upland-frequenting ‘‘speckle-belly.’’ 
The habits and appearance in life, of the tule goose are described 
in the following excerpts from a letter written by Judge F..W. Hen- 
shaw to Dr. J. Grinnell, director of the Museum of Vertebrate 
Zoology : 
On Monday last, Jan. 22nd, accompanied by my friend Sam Lamme, I went 
out to secure for you some tule geese on the grounds of the West Butte Country 
Club in the Sutter Basin. We went by boat into the more unfrequented and 
inaccéssible parts of this lake and there shot for you four tule geese and five 
American white-fronted geese. Sam Lamme is remarkable even for a professional 
hunter. His ability to call wild fowls of all kinds is little short of marvelous, 
and we could easily have killed more of these birds, but we stopped when we 
had secured the number that you desired. We were out only during the morning, 
and in that time (accepting Sam’s verdict as to their character) we certainly 
saw over 150 tule geese. Usually they were single birds or in pairs, though at 
times we would see flocks of eight, ten, twelve, or sixteen. At times also we saw 
mixed flocks. Sam explained this by saying that the tule geese never joined the 
smaller white-fronted geese, but that the latter would frequently attach themselves 
to a pair or to a flock of tule geese and trail on behind. I was myself a witness 
to the joining of these birds upon several occasions. The tule geese were always 
in the lead, paying no attention to the other geese which joined them, and in 
turn the other geese would frequently leave the tule geese after accompanying 
them for a short time. When the tule geese were by themselves and at a distance 
it was difficult for me to tell with any certainty whether they were tule geese or 
the ordinary white-fronted geese, but when the two kinds were together the differ- 
ence was most plain and showed not alone in size but in the conspicuously longer 
neck of the tule geese. Also the notes of the tule goose, according to Sam, while 
similar, are of different quality from those of the white-fronted goose, and while 
I was unable to detect the difference myself, he frequently verified his own nicer 
sense of hearing. The difference he described by saying that the notes of the 
tule goose were coarser and harsher. His nicety of ear I had him demonstrate 
upon several occasions. He would say upon hearing the call of a bird, ‘‘that is 
a tule goose,’’ or ‘‘that is a gray goose,’’ and I would reply, ‘‘call him in, Sam, 
and let’s make sure.’? When he did so, in every instance his judgment proved 
to be correct. In explanation of this, let me say that he called many of both 
varieties within range of our guns after we had killed all that you required, so 
that in many instances I had to base my conclusion upon observation of the birds 
in the air. Another noticeable fact was that the tule geese, while shy in the 
sense that they resorted to the more remote parts of the marsh—the white-fronted 
