BEANTA BERNICLA, BKANT GOOSE. 557 



Anser hrenta. Pall., Zoog. E.-A. ii, 1811, 229.— Leach, Cat. 1816, 37.— Flem., Br. An. 

 127.— Keys. & Blas., Wirb. Eur. 1840, 83.-Swinh., P. Z. S. 1863, 323 (Chiua). 



BtrnlcU trenta, Steph., Gen. Zool. xii, pt. ii, 1824, 46.-EYT., Cat. Br. B. 62; Mou. Anai. 

 1838, 85.— Bp., List, 1838, 56; C. R. Sept. 1850.- Gi:ay, Gen. of B. iii, 1849, 607; 

 Cat. Br. B. 1863, 184.— Reich., Syst. Av. 1852, ix, — — Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 

 102— Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 767.— REixn., Ibis, iii, 1861, 12 (Greenland).— Ro.s.s, 

 Cauad. Nat. vii, Apr. 1862.— Verr., Pr. Ess. Inst. 1862, 153.— Blak., Ibis, ISCB, 

 145.— Malmg., J. f. 0. 1865, 209 (Spitzbergen).- Dress., Ibis, 1866, 42(Texa,s).— 

 Degl.-Gekbe, Orn. Eur. ii, 1867, 489.— Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1868, 298 ; Pr. 

 Phila.. Acad. 1871, 36 (Nortli Carolina). 



Ansir form/ate, FRlscH,V6g.Deutschl. ii, pi. 156.— Brehm, Eur. Vog. 1833,777.— NiLSS., 

 Orn. Suec. 117.— Jen., Man. 1835, 224.— Naum., V. D. xi, 1842, 391, pi. 292. 



Bernh-la iorquata, Boie, Isis, 1822, 563.— Brehm, V. D. H.'il. 



Bertnda mdanopsis, Macgil., Man. Orn. ii, 1842, 151. 



Bcrnicla glmicogastcr, micropus, platyurus, collaris, Brehm., V. D. 849-851. 



b. nigricans. 



Anser nigricans, Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y. iv, 1846, 171, pi. — . 



Bernicla nigricans, Cass., 111. 1853, 52, pi. 10.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 767.— Coop. & Suck., 

 N. H. Wasb. Ter. 1860, 252.— Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 296 (Long 

 isl.and).— Brown, Ibis, 1868, 425.— Dall & Bank., Tr. Chio. Acad, i, 1869, 295 

 (Alaska).— TuRNB., B. E. Pa. 1849, 46 (rare). 



Branfa nigricans, Bann., Pr. Pbila. Acad. 1870, 131. 



Branta bernicla var. nigricans, Cohes, Key, 1872, 284, fig. 1841=. 



Hai. — Europe. North America ; rare or casual on the Pacific. Var. nigricans, rare 

 or casual on the Atlantic. 



Not obtained by the Expeditions. 



While ascending the Missouri in October, 1872, I observed vast num- 

 bers of the Oommon Brant in flocks on the banks and mud-bars of the 

 river. It is generally dispersed over the continent, but chieflj' in its 

 eastern portions, where var. nigricans is rare. The latter almost entirely 

 replaces the commou form on the Pacific side. 



In the paper by Messrs. Dall and Bannister, above quoted, the fol- 

 lowing passages relating to the Black Brant occur : "This Goose arrives 

 in immense flocks, in the spring, along the sea-coast, but is rarely seen 

 on the Yukon. 1 killed one. May 29, 1868, at Nulato, which was said 

 to be a very rare visitor. They pass Fort Yukon in the spring, as they 

 do at Saint Michael's, being present but a few days, and breeding on 

 the shores of the Arctic Ocean. I was informed at Fort Yukon that it 

 is not seen there in the fall. Unlike the White Geese, they return to 

 Norton Sound in small numbers in the fall. * * * * The few that 

 appear at Norton Sound in the fall are the last Geese excepting the 

 canagica. A few of this species were killed at Saint Michael's the season 

 I was there; it was said to be altogether less abundant that spring than 

 ordinarily. It arrives there about the 12th of May, almost the last of 

 all the migratory birds. They were observed in the fall of 1865 (Sep- 

 tember 23), on their return. Usually the Black Brant is said to come in 

 immense flocks, and to afford more profitable sport for a few days than 

 all the other species put together. The flight of the main body of these 

 migratory birds seems to me to be along the western edge of Saint Mi- 

 chael's Island, touching Stewart's Island, and then directly northward, 

 across the open sea, to Golownin Sound. I saw no such large flocks 

 passing the fort as 1 saw down the canal flying toward Cape Stephens." 

 According to Dr. Suckley these Brant are extremely abundant about 

 the Straits of Fuca in winter, preferring the vicinity of the coast, and 

 subsisting by choice upon sedge-grass growing near ; alt water. On the 

 Atlantic coast I have noticed the common variety as i\\v as the Garolinas. 

 The following Anserince of North America have not been found in the Missouri region : 



