460 LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



mwis, liaviu;,' 13 to 16 rectricei?, vary in size, so as to lead directly up to the smaller examples, 

 possessing 18 to 20 rectrices, ■ being wholly impossible to separate specimens by size alone. 



The accompanying figures, which are liie-size, are intended to show extreme variations in the 

 shape of the bill in this diminutive race. 



There appear to be other variations of this species, which are hardly to be classed as geograph- 

 ical races, but which seem to owe their characteristics to hybridization with other species, or to an 

 abnoi-mal degree of individual variation. Among these may be classed the — 



Bcrnida leucolcema, Muiir.AY, White-Frilled Goose, Ed. New Plii. Jour. IX. April, 1859, 226. 



Sp. Char. Similar to the common Canada Goose of the United States in markings, but larger. 

 Chin from rami of lower mandible, cravat on sides and beneath the jaws, and extending along 

 under side of neck nearly to end of Ijlack portion, white, becoming narrower and spotted with 

 black ; under eyelid lii-oadly wliite ; lower part of neck pale dirty lavender, upper jiart of Ijreast 

 paler ; lower part and belly almost white ; or breast and belly pale lavendei', with a liroad white 

 band across breast ; legs brown ; welj bright yellow. Length 40.00 inches ; upper mandible, above 

 2.50 ; wing, 19.25 ; tarsu.s, 3,00 ; hrst phalanx of middle toe, 1.50. 



Differs from B. canadensis in larger size, and jdumage paler throughout ; brown replacing black, 

 etc. The white of head is more extended, reaching along nearly the whole throat and to lower 

 jaw ; the interdigital spaces yellow, not black, etc. 



Bernichi Barnstonii, Boss, Caiiad. Nat, VII. 1862, 152 ; Nat. Hist, Review, 1862, p, 28. 



"This bird was shot at Fort Simpson (on the Mackenzie), It is of very large size, with the 

 breast of a bj'iglit fawn-color. The delta of feathers running up into the lower mandible is white, 

 in.stead of black, as in B. canadensis. The tail is of sixteen feathers. The Indians consider it a 

 distinct species from the Canada Goose, It seldom Hies in parties of more than five or six," 



Bemicla Canadensis. 



Our common "Wild Goose lias a very extevidcd range throngliont the whole of Xortli 

 America, occurring from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic C)cean, and from the At- 

 lantic to the Pacific. Abundant upon nearly all the interior waters, it breeds in 

 various parts of the country as far south as latitude 42° N., and even farther south 

 than this jiarallel in favorable localities, and throughout all the regions north, 



Ricliardson found it abundant, in pair.s, throughout the Fur Countries up to a high 

 parallel of latitude. It associates in flocks only on its first arrival, and feeds on all 

 kinds of l:)erries. Early in the spring its crops are found to be filled with the farina- 

 ceous astringent fruit of the Ehrarjnus argentcn. The inhabitants of the wooded and 

 swampy districts depend principally upon this Goose for subsistence during the sum- 

 mer. It makes its first appearance in flocks of twenty or thirty, and is readily decoyed 

 within gunshot by the hunters, who imitate its call. About three weeks after its 

 first appearance it disperses in pairs throughout the country to breed, retiring at the 

 same time from the shores of Hudson's Bay. It was found nesting as far north as 

 Fort Anderson and the Lower Anderson River ; but the statement of Dr. Richardson, 

 that it is not known to breed on the Ai-ctic coast, remains unchallenged. 



In July, after the young birds are hatched, the parents moult, and vast numbers 

 are killed in the rivers and small lakes before they are able to fly. When chased by 

 a canoe and obliged to dive freciuently, this bird soon becomes fatigued, and makes 

 for the shore to hide, thus falling an easy prey to its pursuers. In the autumn it 

 assembles in flocks on the shores of Hudson's Bay for a month previous to its depar- 

 ture for the south. In its migrations it annually resorts to certain resting-places, some 

 of which are frequented both in the spring and autumn, and others only in the spring. 

 While on the Saskatchewan it generally builds its nest on the ground; some pairs 



