238 ANSERES. 



225. ANSER MINUTUS. 

 (LESSER WHITE-ERONTED GOOSE.) 

 Anser minutus, Naumann, Vog. Deutschl. xi. p. 364 (1842). 



The Lesser White-fronted Goose is supposed to vary in length of 

 bill from 1*6 to 1'15 inches. The white on the forehead extends as 

 far back as the eye. The legs are yellow and the bill pale. 



Figures : Naumann, Vogel Deutschlands, pi. 290. 



The Lesser White-fronted Goose is a winter visitor to the Japanese 

 Islands^ and has been obtained both in Yezzo and in Southern Japan 

 (Blakiston and Pryer, Ibis, 1878, p. 213). There is an example in 

 the Swinhoe collection obtained in the Yokohama market in January 

 (Seebohm, Ibis, 1879, p. 22), and there is a second in the Pryer 

 collection from the same locality. 



It breeds in the tundras of Siberia and Northern Europe. 



226. ANSER HYPERBOREUS. 



(SNOW-GOOSE.) 



Anser hyperboreus, Pallas, Spicil. Zool, vi. p. 25 (1769). 



The Snow-Goose, when adult, is white with black primaries 

 (shading into grey at the base) and grey primary-coverts. The bill 

 is light red, and the legs dark red. Young birds have the head, 

 neck, back, and breast grey, and the bill and legs brown. 



Figures : Dresser, Birds of Europe, vi. pi. 417. 



American ornithologists (Ridgway, Man. North- Am. Birds, p. 115) 

 admit two races of Snow-Geese : the typical form Anser hyperboreus, 

 or Lesser Snow-Goose (wing from carpal joint 14^ to 17 inches) ; 

 and a larger race Anser hyperboreus nivalis, or Greater Snow-Goose 

 (wing from carpal joint 17^ to 17^ inches). In the former the bill 

 from the frontal feathers is said to vary from 1*9 to 2'3 inches, and 

 in the latter from 2*5 to 2'7 inches. 



Both races appear to be winter visitors to the Japanese ceasts, 

 occurring in large flocks (Blakiston and Pryer, Trans. As. Soc. Japan, 

 1882, p. 95) ; and the small race was recorded from Japan as long 

 ago as 1840 (Temminck, Man. d'Orn. iv. p. 516). 



There are two examples in the Pryer collection from Tokio Bay 

 which undoubtedly belong to the smaller race ; they measure 15J 



