314 UPLAND SHOOTIXG. 



Wlien in captivity they show no disposition to breed, and 

 seemingly never become reconciled to the unnatural 

 restraint. Their food consists almost* wholly of vegeta- 

 tion, but they readily subsist upon grains when in cap- 

 tivity. They are much more common on the sea-coast 

 than in the interior, and are rarely met with in the West. 



Snow-goose (white brant — wavey — fish-brant — Texas 

 goose — ^blue goose — blue snow-goose — white-headed goose 

 — bald brant). The true snow-goose is white, with end of 

 wing black; foreparts of plumage frequently stained with 

 reddish brown, this generally more noticeable on front 

 of head; bill, light purplish red, but variable from a 

 dusky tone to flesh-color, with black recess along its sides; 

 legs, deep purplish red, though variable. In the young, 

 the upper parts are bluish gray or lead-color, more or less 

 varied with white; end of vring as in adult; bill and legs, 

 dusky. 



Two varieties are recognized by ornithologists, viz.: 

 lesser snow-goose and greater snow-goose. The smaller 

 bird measures twenty-five inches in length and about fifty- 

 two inches in extent; the lai'ger, which has just been 

 described, measures several inches larger. The two 

 varieties grade toward one another confusingly. The 

 names snow-goose, fish-brant, and white brant are locally 

 applied to the larger variety, and the names blue goose, 

 bald l)rant. blue snow-goose, etc., to the smaller kind. 

 The smaller variety is the same shape and form as the 

 larger kind, and has the appearance of being arraj-ed in 

 the undeveloped plumage of the true snow -goose. The 

 head and neck of the lesser snow-goose is white, with the 

 remaining plumage principally grayish brown, with more 

 or less bluish gray, the feathers ending paler; wings, 

 plain, light bluish gray, with their flight-feathers black, 

 or nearlj^ so; rump, light gray, or more whitish; legs and 

 bUl, like the larger kind. 



