BARNACLE GOOSE. 611 



lated membrane, the outer with a thick margin, the inner with the margin 

 extended into a two-lobed web. Claws small, arched, rather compressed, 

 except that of the middle toe, which is bent obliquely outwards, depressed, 

 with a curved edge. Wings of moderate length, with an obtuse protu 

 berance at the flexure. 



Plumage close, rather short, compact above, blended on the head, 

 neck, and lower parts of the body. The feathers of the head and neck 

 very narrow, of the back very broad and abrvipt, of the breast and belly 

 broadly rounded. Wings when closed extending about an inch and a 

 quarter beyond the tail, acute ; primaries very strong, curved, the second 

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

 sixteen stiff rounded and acuminate feathers. 



Bill, feet, and claws black. Iris dark hazel. Anterior part of the 

 head, including a broad space above the eye, the sides of the head, and the 

 throat, white ; the feathers margining the bill, and a line from the bill to 

 the eye, curving below the lower eyelid, and running along the upper, 

 brownish-black. Neck all round glossy black, of which colour are the 

 anterior or dorsal feathers, the scapulars, and the wing-coverts, towards 

 their extremities, while their bases are ash-grey, and their terminal mar- 

 gins white. The shorter feathers on the middle of the back are similar ; 

 those on the rump and the tail-feathers deep black. The quills are greyish- 

 black, darker towards the tips, the outer webs more or less tinged with 

 ash-grey. The breast, sides, and abdomen greyish-white, the upper fea- 

 thers of the sides with more grey ; the upper and lower tail-coverts, and 

 the sides of the rump, pure white. 



Length 27 inches, extent of wings 4 feet 8 inches; bill along the 

 ridge 1^, in depth at the base i§, in breadth j% :, tarsus 2i§, middle toe 

 and claw 2^§ ; wing from flexure 17 ; tail 6 ; the feet extend beyond the 

 tail 3| inches. Weight 4 lb. 1 oz. 



Adult Female. Plate CCXCVI. Fig. 2. 



The Female, which is much smaller, has the same colours, the black 

 parts being tinged with brown, and the tints generally duller. 



Length 23| inches, extent of wings 4 feet 4 inches ; the feet extend 

 beyond the tail 2^ inches. Weight 2 lb. 9 oz. 



ciq2 



