26 BRENT GOOSE. 



Tarsus short, compressed, covered all roirnd with angular reticulated 

 scales, which are smaller behind. Hind toe extremely small, with a 

 very narrow membrane ; third toe longest, fourth a little shorter, but 

 longer than the second ; all the toes reticulated above at the base, but 

 with narrow transverse scutella towards the end ; the three anterior 

 connected by a reticulated membrane ; the outer with a thick margin, 

 the inner with the margin extended into a two-lobed web. Claws 

 small, arched, rather depressed, especially that of the middle toe, which 

 has the inner margin expanded. 



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

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

 small and oblong, of the back very broad and abruptly roimded, of the 

 breast and belly broadly rounded. Wings when closed extending a 

 little beyond the end of the tail ; primaries very strong, decurved, the 

 first longest, the second almost equal ; secondaries long, broad, rounded. 

 Tail very short, rounded, of sixteen feathers. 



Bill and feet black. Iris hazel. Head and neck all round black, 

 glossed with blue. A small streak under the eye, and a spot on the 

 chin, white ; on each side of the neck a patch of the same formed by a 

 number of the feathers which have a white band near the end. The 

 general colour of the upper parts is brownish-grey, the feathers termi- 

 nally margined with light greyish-brown ; the quills, and primary co- 

 verts greyish-black, the primaries darker ; the upper tail-coverts white, 

 the tail greyish-black. The fore part of the breast is light brownish- 

 grey, the feathers terminally margined with greyish-white ; the grey 

 tint gradually fades into white, which is the colour of the abdomen, 

 sides of the rump and lower tail-coverts ; the sides of the body grey, 

 the feathers broadly tipped with white ; axillar feathers and lower wing- 

 coverts grey 



Length to end of tail 24^ inches, to end of claws 25^ ; extent of 

 wings 48 ; bill along the ridge 1/^, along the edge of lower mandible 

 1t*2 5 wing from flexure 13 ; tail 4^ ; tarsus Ij ; hind toe I^^j its claw 

 1^ ; middle toe Ij^g, its claw ^^|. Weight 3^ lb. 



Adult Female. Plate CCCXCI. Fig. 2. 



The Female, which is somewhat smaller, is similar to the male. 

 Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of wings 24, to end of claws 

 23| ; extent of wings 44^. Weight 2^ lb. 



