BLUE GOOSE. 519 



found in Illinois, in equal numbers with the larger variety (Nelson), but 

 I am not aware that it has been properly identified. 



Anseb ccebulescens (L.) Vieill. 



Blue Gi-oose. 



Anaw coeruleacem, Wheaton, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Kep. for 1874, 574 , Reprint, 

 1875, 14.— Lanqdon, Cat. of Birds of Gin., 1877, 16 ; Revised List, Jonrn. Cia. Soo. 

 Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 185; Reprint, 19. 



Anas eosrulescms, LiNNiaus, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 198. 

 Anser oceruleseena, Vieillot, Enoy. Meth., i, 1833, 115. 



With nearly the size, and exactly the form of the last species, bnt the plumage ashy, 

 varied with dark-hrown, the head, upper neck, tail-coverts and most of the under-parts 

 white, the wing-coverts silvery ash. 



Habitat, North America generally. 



Rare. The Blue Goose was first introduced as an Ohio bird by myself, 

 in 1876, two specimens having been identified at Columbus. Until lately 

 it has been considered by many ornithologists as the young of the Snow 

 Goose. The specimens above referred to have a peculiar history which is 

 as follows : In the fall of 1876, a strange bird associated with a flock of 

 tame geese about four miles south of this city, followed them into a barn 

 at night, and was secured. Under the impression that it was a " Brant" 

 (a common name for all wild geese, except the Canada Goose) it was 

 brought alive to the City Park of this city. It was kept for a year, 

 associating with swans and becoming quite domesticated. It would fre- 

 quently fly away considerable distances, but was readily retaken. On 

 the 27th of October, a goose was wounded in the river a few hundred 

 from the City Park and secured. Under the, impression that it was the 

 escaped bird, it was returned to the park, but much to the surprise of all 

 concerned, it was found that there were now two geese almost precisely 

 alike. The superintendent of the park, Mr. J. L. Stelzig, made the new 

 comer as comfortable as possible, but the next day but one goose remained 

 and this the wounded bird captured the previous day. The other had 

 probably flown to the south, its instinct perhaps quickened by the 

 acquaintance which it had so recently renewed with its own species. In 

 a few days the wounded specimen died, and came into my possession by 

 the kindness of Mr. Stelzig. The following is its description : Head 

 and upper neck white, with an interrupted line of dark gray-brown on 

 the nape and occiput (this line wanting on the other and probably older 

 individual). Lower neck, upper breast, and back grayish-brown, becom- 

 ing lighter on belly and under tail coverts. Lesser wing coverts, primary 

 coverts, lower back, rump, and tail pearl-gray of varying shade, with 

 lighter or whitish tips or edging to the feathsrs ; quills, inner secondaries 



