NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 89 



white shafts, the outer feathers inclining to grey as they 

 approach the greater wing coverts, under which they are 

 entirely light grey. Secondaries, sixteen in number — the 

 outer six rounded at the extremity, the remainder slightly 

 pointed. Colour; greyish brown : outer webs finely margined 

 with very light grey or white, extending to the tips and inner 

 webs. Greater wing coverts (of the primaries) grey, with 

 brown shafts ; greater wing coverts (of the secondaries) 

 white, powdered with grey. These are followed by the long 

 axillary feathers of a dark greyish brown on both webs 

 broadly margined with white ; the visible portion of the 

 shafts of these feathers, black ; beyond that, white. Base 

 of the secondaries, entirely white. Bastard-wing, consisting 

 of three stiff feathers, grey, with brown shafts, the outer 

 feathers terminating in a sharp point. Lesser wing coverts, 

 light ash grey, margined with white. The under wing 

 coverts, pure white. 



From the information afforded by the examination of 

 this wing, I think there can be no doubt that the Goose 

 shot by Mr. Hodgson Smith is the young of the Snow 

 Goose {Anser hyperboreus), commonly known as the Blue- 

 winged Goose of North America. The superior dimensions 

 of the Canada Goose, compared with the Bermuda speci- 

 men, and the decidedly inferior size of the four remain- 

 ing species of the genus Anser common to this portion 

 of the globe, at once point to Anser hyperboreus as the 

 species under consideration ; and this opinion is well sup- 

 ported by the bluish-grey and white appearance of the 

 external plumage of the " wing," and the pure white of the 

 inner wing-coverts, Mr. Smith's statement notwithstanding. 

 Hezekiah Frith, master of the ketch, " Peri," tells me that 

 on his voyage from these islands to Baltimore in August 

 last, viz., on the 25th of that month, latitude 35°, and 



