464 LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



lined witli down, wliicli liad apparently been phieked Iw the female from her own 

 body. In other instances nests were found by him in similar positions. "When built 

 on the ground tlie nests appear to have been variously comijosed — in one iustanee of 

 decayed leaves, down, and hay ; in another of dry willow sticks and moss, lined with 

 feathers and down. Eggs found after the middle of June contained embryos, which 

 were more or less developed. In one instance a nest was composed of a quantity of 

 turf and decaj'ed vegetable matter lined with down, feathers, and moss. 



Mr. Dall found this bird not uncommon at Fort Yukon, where its eggs were also 

 obtained, and it was also taken at Sitka by Bischoff. 



It was found breeding by Mr. Kennicott on Lake "Winnipeg in June, at Fort Reso- 

 hitiou as early as April 5, and at Fort Yukon, May 20; by Mr. L. Clarke at Fort Eae 

 in May, at Fort Simpson by Mr. B. K. Eoss, on the Anderson Eiver by Mr. MacFar- 

 lane, among the mountains west of the Lower Mackenzie by Mr. E. M'Donald, at 

 Port Inkier by Mr. Minot, and at Sitka by Bischoff. 



Dr. Berlandier, in his manuscript notes, speaks of it as inhabiting during the win- 

 ter the great plains of Tamaulipas, Mexico. He has seen it in flocks of several 

 hundreds in the grassy marshes between San Fernando and JMatamoras, in the vicinity 

 of Soto Le Nanine, etc. It is commonly called Futotrhiuero. He also met with it in 

 December on the central plateau lietween the Hacienda of Encarnacion and Aguas 

 Nuevas, near Saltillo. 



Its eggs are of a uniform bright ivory white, of an oval shape ; but vary both in 

 size and shape. Specimens in the Smithsonian Collection exhibit the following 

 measurements : (No. 9455, Anderson Eiver, MacFarlane) 3.25 by 2.15, and 3.10 by 

 2.25 inches ; (No. 1994) 3.45 by 2.40, and 3.10 by 2.30 inches ; (Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, No. 9434J,) Fort Yukon, 3.45 l)y 2.10. 



The form called Benikia ocridi'iifaHs is apparently the Pacitic coast representative 

 of tlie common Canada Goose. Examples of it were taken at Sitka by Mr. Bischoff, 

 but no mention was made of any specific variations in habit. Since then it is said to 

 have been found in great aliundance by Mv. (irayson in Western Mexico, where, as 

 he states, he saw it in large flocks while on the road to Durango, between the Sierra 

 Madre Mountains and that city. This was in the months of February and March. 

 He did not, liowever, see or hear of any west of the Cordilleras. 



Bern Ida Hutcli Insi. 



Although the Hutchins's Goose was first distinctively named by Dr. Eichardson 

 in the " Fauna Boreali-Araericana," its existence as a well-marked race or species, 

 distinct from the canadensis, w^as well known to Mr. Hearne nearly a centurj^ ago. 

 Under the name of the Canada Goose, he refers to it as quite distinct from our cana- 

 densis, which he calls the common Gray Goose. At the time he wrote it was well 

 known to tlie Indians, as well as to the English, in Hudson's Bay as the Pisl-a- 

 JisL "While it does not ditter in plumage from the common "Wild Goose, it is much 

 inferior in size, the bill is much smaller in proportion to the size of the body, and the 

 flesh, which is much whiter, is more highly esteemed as food. It is by no means so 

 abundant at Hudson's Bay as the common species ; and as a general thing it goes 

 much farther north to breed. A few pairs were, however, known to have bred near 

 Churchill Eiver. It was seldom that, either this or the true Canada Goose was 

 known to lay more than four eggs, all of whii'h, if the nests were not robbed, the 

 birds usually succeeded in hatching. 



This Goose breeds on the shores of the Arctic Sea : but in its migrations keeps 

 near the sea-coast, and is seldom seen in the interior. 



