764 U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVETS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



BEENICLA CANADENSIS, Boie. 



Caoada Goose. 



Anas canadensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 198.— Foester, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383.— Wils. Am. Orn. VIII, 



1814,52; pi. Ivii. 

 Anser canadensis, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. — Sw. & Eich. P. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 468. — NnxT. Man. II, 349. — Aud. Orn. 



Biog. Ill, 1835, 1 : V, 607 ; pi. 201.— Ib, Syn. 270.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 178; pi. 376. 

 Cygnus canadensis, Steph. Shaw's Zool. XII, ii, 1824, 19. 

 Bernicla canadensis, Boie, Isis, 1826, 921. 

 ? Anser parvipes, Cassik, Pr. A. N. So. VI, Oct. 1852, 188. (Vera Cruz.) 



Sp. Ch.— Tail of eighteen feathers. Head, neck, bill, and feet, deep black. A large triangular patch of white on the cheeks 

 behind the eye; the two of opposite sides broadly confluent beneath, but not extending to the rami of lower jaw; a few whitish 

 feathers on lower eyelid. Upper parts brown, edged with paler. Under parts light, with a tinge of purple gray, sometimes a 

 shade of smoky brown ; the edges of the feathers paler; the color of the body of the feathers, though similar, becoming deeper 

 on the sides, tibia, axillars, and inside of wings. The gray of the belly passes gradually into white on the anal region and 

 ,,uder coverts; the upper tail coverts are pure white. The primary quills and rump are' very dark blackish brown ; the tail 

 .'eathers are black. Length, 35 ; wing, 18 ; tarsus, 3.10; commisBure, 2.10. 



Ilab. — Whole of North America. Accidental in Europe. 



In comparing quite a large series of Canada geese together, I have found very great 

 discrepancies in dimensions, as will be sufficiently evident from the table-of measurements. I 

 find almost every size between wide extremes, with great variations in size and proportions of 

 the bill, as well as much difi'erence in the shade and continuity of color. In several instances 



