232 The Water-fowl Family 



aquatic in its habits tfcan most water-fowl. If 

 chased during the moulting season, when from 

 the loss of its primaries it is unable to fly, it will 

 attempt to escape observation by flattening it- 

 self on the ground with its head thrust forward, 

 and will not take to the water unless absolutely 

 cornered. 



CANADA GOOSE 

 (Branta canadensis) 



Adult male and female — Head and neck, black with a white patch 

 on each cheek extending across the throat ; upper parts, dark 

 brown ; feathers tipped with lighter ; lower parts, paler than the 

 upper, the light gray sometimes fading into white about the 

 anal region ; primaries, rump, and tail, black ; upper and under 

 tail-coverts, white ; legs, feet, and bill, black ; iris, brown. 



Measurements — Average length, 38 inches ; wing, 1 8 inches ; tarsus, 

 3 inches; oilmen, 2.15 inches. 



Young — Similar to the adult, but the white cheek patches are 

 speckled with black, and they are somewhat smaller. 



Downy yomig — Above, golden olive-green; below forehead and 

 sides of head, pale greenish yellow. 



Eggs — Five to nine in number, dull white, measure 3.50 by 2.50 

 inches. 



Habitat — Breeds from Newfoundland and Anticosti, Indiana, pos- 

 sibly Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, 

 Nevada, and Oregon, north to northern Labrador, Hudson Bay, 

 lower Mackenzie, the interior of Alaska ( ?), and Cook Inlet ( ?) ; 

 said to have formerly bred in Massachusetts, and a set of eggs 

 recorded from Tennessee. Winters from New Jersey, occasionally 

 north to Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, Ohio, 

 Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, South Dakota rarely, Nebraska, 

 Utah, Oregon, and British Columbia, south to Florida, Jamaica, 

 the Gulf states, Mexico, and Los Angeles County, California. 

 Less common on the Pacific Coast. Occurs in Bermuda. 



