CANADA. GOOSE, 521 



this portion of the country is a specimen taken by Dr. Hoy, from a flock 

 of three, upon the lake shore near Eacine (Wisconsin). Dr. Coues men- 

 tions observing them in vast numbers on the Missouri river in October, 

 1872. 



Branta canadensis (L ) Gray. 



Csmada Groose ; 'Wilcl Gi-cjose. 



Anser mnadmais, Audubon, Cm. Biog., iii, 1835, 1 ; B. Am., 1834, 179.— Kirtland, 

 Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 166, 186.— Collins, Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 3a7. 



Anas canadensis, Kirtland, Preliminary Rep. Ohio Geolog. Surv. 1838, 67. 



Serniola canadensis, Wheaton, Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 370, 378 ; Reprint, 1861, 19, 20. 



Branta canadensis, Wheaton, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1871, 574 ; Re- 

 print, 1875, 14.— Langdon, Oat. Birds of Gin., 1877, 17 ; Revised List, Journ. Cin, 

 Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 185; Reprint, 19; Summer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 228. 



Canada Goose, Kirtland, Fam. Visitor, i, 1850, 72. 



Anas canadensis, Linn^us, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 198. 



Anser canadensis, Vieillot, Nonv. Diet. d'Hist., Nat., . 



Bemicla canadensis, BoiB, Isis, 1826, 921. 

 Bra/nta canadensis. Gray. 



Tail normally eighteen feathered. Grayish-brown, below paler or whitish-gray, bleach- 

 ing on the crissum, all the feathers with lighter edges ; head and neck black, with a 

 broad white patch on the throat mounting each side of the head ; tail black, with white , 

 upper coverts. Length, about 36 ; wing, 18-20 ; tail, 6^-7^ ; bill, l|-2 ; tarsus, usually 

 over 3. 



Habitat, the whole of North America, breeding in the United States, as well as farther 

 north. Accidental in Europe. 



Common spring and fall migrant ; winter resident in part, and, per- 

 haps still, though rarely, a summer resident, breeding in retired loca- 

 tions. Dr. Kirtland says : " I learn from Dr. Ward that the Wild Goose 

 frequently spends the winter in the Scioto Valley and becomes so tame 

 as to visit the corn-fields in search of food." At the time Dr Kirtland 

 wrote (1838) the fact that Wild Geese visited the corn-fields may have 

 been an evidence of their tameness, but if so, it must also point to the 

 vast changes which have since taken place. At the present time the 

 Geese find no more secure feeding grounds than the vast corn-fields of the 

 Scioto Valley. However, these birds are less numerous than formerly, 

 at least in the vicinity of this city. They seem to retain for a long time 

 an attachment for places, and visit each year a favorite locality on the 

 Olentangy Eiver, so near this city, that I have known amateur sports- 

 men to refrain from shooting them, for the reason that " they were too 

 near town to be vMd geese." 



