CHEN CASRULESCENS (Rinew). 
THE BLUE-WINGED GOOSE. 
Specific Character.—Head and upper half of the neck, white, or mostly white 
the former frequently washed with orange rufous anteriorly ; lower neck and body 
grayish brown, the feathers bordered terminally with paler; these pale edgings, 
however, nearly obsolete on the neck where the tint is darker, inclining to plumb- 
eous umber, which joins irregularly against the white aboveit. Rump and wings 
plain pearl gray or bluish cinereous, the former sometimes white in striking con- 
trast to the deep, grayish brown of the scapulars, sides, etc., that of the rump fad- 
ing into white on the upper tail coverts, and that of the greater coverts edged 
externally with the same. Primaries black, fading basally into hoary gray ; 
secondaries, deep black, narrowly skirted with white; tail, deep cinereous, the 
feathers distinctly bordered with white. Bill, reddish, the commissural space 
black ; feet reddish. 
Total length, about 30.00 inches; wing, 15.00-17.00; culmen, 2.10-2.30 ; 
tarsus, 3.00-3.30; middle toe, 2.20. ; 
Habitat.—North America generally, but chiefly the interior. 
The Blue-Winged goose was once thought to be the young of the Snow goose 
but now by ornithologists is considered a good distinct species. The general 
characteristics are very much the same, but the plumage is different. It is often 
seen in Ontario occurring with other geese. A few years ago a good specimen 
was caught on the banks of the Grand River by a colley dog belonging to Mr. 
Armour, a farmer, who kept it for a number of years. It lived with the tame 
geese, and soon became master of the flock. It never mated with the rest of the 
flock ; its plumage never changed, and it fed on grass and grain as the others did. 
Some passing hunter shot it one day. The writer also has a good specimen in 
his collection taken in the same locality. 
