570 WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



a reticulated membrane, the outer having a thick margin, the inner with 

 the margin extended into a two-lobed web ; claws small, arched, rather 

 compressed, obtuse, that of the middle toe bent obliquely outwards and 

 depressed, with a curved edge. 



Plumage close, full, compact above, blended on the neck and lower 

 part of the body, very short on the head. Feathers of the head and neck 

 very narrow, on the latter part disposed in oblique series separated by 

 grooves, of the back very broad and abrupt, of the breast and belly 

 broadly rounded. Wings rather long, broad ; primaries incurved, broad, 

 towards the end tapering, the second longest, first and third about equal, 

 first and second sinuate on the inner web, second and third on the outer ; 

 secondaries long, very broad, rounded. Tail very short, rounded, of 

 sixteen broad rounded feathers. 



Bill carmine-red, the unguis of both mandibles white. Edges of eye- 

 lids dull orange ; iris hazel. Feet orange, webs lighter ; claws white. 

 Head and neck rich greyish-brown, the upper part of the former darker ; 

 a white band, margined behind with blackish-brown on the anterior part of 

 the forehead along the bill. The general colour of the back is deep grey, 

 the feathers of its fore part broadly tipped with greyish-brown, the rest 

 with greyish- white ; the hind part of the back pure deep grey. Wings grey- 

 ish-brown, but towards the edge ash-grey, as are the primary coverts, and 

 outer webs of the primaries ; the rest of the primaries and the secondaries 

 are greyish-black, the latter with a narrow edge of greyish-white, the former 

 edged and tipped with white. Breast, abdomen, lower tail-coverts, sides of 

 the rump and upper tail-coverts, white, but the breast and sides patched with 

 brownish -black ; on the latter intermixed with greyish-brown feathers. 



Length to end of tail 21^ inches, to end of wings 26, to end of claws 

 28^; extent of wings 60 ; wing from flexure 14^ ; tail 4| ; bill along the 

 back 1/g, along the edge of lower mandible 1 jV ; tarsus ^^ ; middle toe 

 2/2, its claw j%. Weight 5| lb. 



Adult Female. Plate CCLXXXVI. Fig. 2. 



The Female, which is somewhat smaller, resembles the male ; the white 

 margins of the wing-feathers not so distinct. Weight 4 lb. 4 oz. 



The gizzard is very large, its muscular coat an inch and a half thick 

 at the lower extremity, the cuticular lining thick, very hard, and denti- 

 culate on one side. The intestine seven feet long, the coeca twelve inches 

 and placed at the distance of one foot from the anus. 



