BIRDS — ANSEEINAE — BEENICLA NIGEICAWS. 



767 



althougli it is my impression that it liad 16 tail feathers. No. 2^27, on the other hand, from 

 Mr. Audubon's collection, is much as described by him. 



List of specimens. 



BERNICLA BEENTA, Steph. 



Brant. 



Anas bemida, Link. Syst. Nat. 1, 1766, 198.— Wu.s. Am. Om. VIII, 1814, 131 ; pi. Ixxii. 



Anser bernkla, Bon. Syn. 1828, 378.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 469.— Nutt. Mao.II.S.'iD.- Add. Orn. Biog. V, 1831,24, 610; 



pl. 391.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 203 ; pi. 379. 

 Sernida brenta, Steph. Shaw's Zool. XII, ii, ]824, 46.— Bon. List, 1838.— Efton, Mod. Anat. 1839, 85. 

 "Anser torguaia, Prisoh." 

 Bernida torguatus, Brehm, Nat. Vog. Deutsoh. 1831, 848. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill and feet, head, neck, and body anterior to the wings, primary quills, and tail black ; the secondary quills nearly 

 black. On each side of the middle of the neck is a small white crescent, streaked with black. The lower eyelids with a very 

 faint trace of white feathers. The black of the jugulum is abruptly defined against the bluish silvery gray of the remaining 

 under parts, the feathers of which have the basal portions bluish gray ; the axillars and insides of the wings showing a darker 

 tint of the same. The gray of the belly passes gradually into white behind, the taU being encircled all round and concealed by 

 this color. The back and wing coverts are grayish blue, with slightly paler edges ; the rump is of a similar, but darker and 

 more uniform blue. The secondaries have some concealed whitish on the inner webs towards the base. Length, 23.50 ; wing, 

 12.75; tarsus, 2.^26; commissure, 1.40. 



Hob. — Eastern or Atlantic coast of North America and Europe. Not yet observed on the Pacific side of the continent. 



List of Specimens. 



BERNICLA NIGRICANS, a s s i n . 



Black Biant. 



Anser nigricans, Lawrence, Ann. N. T. Lye. IV, 1846, 171 ; plate. 

 Bernida nigricans, Cassin, 111. I, ii, 1853, 52; pl. x. 



Sp. Ch.— Head, neck, and body anterior to the wings deep black, passing into dark sooty plumbeous on the rest of the body ; 

 this color beneath extending nearly to the anus, and above shading insensibly into the black of the rump. Middle of the throat 

 with a white patch extending round on the sides, and somewhat streaked with black. No white on the eyelids. Sides of rump 

 and of base of tail, with upper and under tail coverts concealing the tail, and space across the anus, white ; primary and 



