G4 IXDIAX DICKS. 



This bird is said to differ from A use)' ferns (the Coiiinion Wihl Goose) 

 ill beino; rather laroer and with proportionately larger bill and feet, and 

 the adult bird is also more marked with l)lack on the underparts, thoiioii 

 this last distinction does not hold good with most Indian specimens. 



Alpheraky, in his beautiful book on European and Asiatic Geese, shows 

 that our Indian form of Grey Lag is not entitled to a separate specific 

 name, nor does he even consider it worthy of su))specifi(; rank. He 

 writes that he is unable to find any points differing sufticiently constantly 

 to enable him to divide* the two forms. 



Weioht and size he shows to be of no value, for whereas the normal 

 Indian l)ird — this nuist l)e nihr'trostrh, if there is such a bird — weighs only 

 some (i to 8^ lbs., Naumann gives the weight of a Western European 

 .s[)ecim(ni as being 16^ lbs. 



Richness of plumage may l)e admitted as individual, not specific at all. 

 Tliis leaves only the coinparat'/ce size of the bill and the coloration 

 of the soft })arts as a means of differentiation considered hitherto by 

 naturalists. 



The Ijill is said to be pro}tortionately longer in the Eastern than in the 

 Western form, and the feet and bill more deeply tinged with pink. 

 Personally I cannot discrinn'nate between the two forms ; but I incline to 

 think that the l)ill of )'it/>nro.'<tr/s is a deeper flesh-colour than in ferns, and 

 I also think that the Eastern form is a larger, lighter l)uilt hird ivifh a nnnn 

 decided/// Jonaer hi j>ro/n)rf/oii to its iceio/tt, for we see Hume's birds of 

 t) lbs. to 8i lbs. with wings of 1<S inches upwards, whilst birds of this 

 weight in Western Europe have wings of 1() inches. This is a cpiestion 

 which, however, nmst l)e threshed out after the examination of far more 

 material than I can at })resent connnaiid. and I shall therefore let the 

 name stand as rnhrirostris in this work. 



Hume, in ' Game-Birds,' goes into the (juestion as to whether this biril 

 is the same as the one known in Europe as Anser cinerens. and he there 

 notes the difference between the two s})ecies in his usual accurate maimer, 

 and many ornithologists do agree that the two specimens are distinct. 

 Hodgson's name of rnhrirostris stands good for our Indian form. Hume's 

 distribution given in " Game-Birds " ap])lies, of course, to both species, and 

 has to be oreatly curtailed in its limits outside India. 



It is found throughout Northern India, but it is far more numerous to 

 the west than to the east : it extends right away throughout (/hina ; but as 

 most of the birds are recorded as .i. ciuerens, it is ditficult to say what 

 notes a})ply to the true xi. ciiwrens and what to our A. rnhrirostris, tliou<di 



