Family ANATIDyii. Genus Anser. 



Subfamily Anserinm. 



LESSER SNOW GOOSE. 



ANSER HYPERBOREUS— /'a/Zfl.f. 



Geographical Distribution.— ^«Vu/5 .- Very rare straggler 

 to Ireland on autumn migration, and has once been observed in 

 England. The claim of this species to rank as " British " rests 

 on the following occurrences. Ireland : Lake Tacumshane, south 

 coast of County Wexford (2 immature examples purchased in 

 Leadenhall Market, i example shot at same time and place not 

 preserved), November, 1871 ; Termoncarra, Co. Mayo (flock of 

 seven seen, one of which was shot, and another trapped), October, 

 1877. The two examples said to have been captured in Ireland, 

 and afterwards placed in Lord Derby's menagerie at Knowsley, 

 and which subsequently were sold by auction to Castang, the 

 bird and animal dealer of London, have too dubious a pedigree 

 to share the honour of positive evidence. England : Coast of 

 Cumberland (i adult example, "identified but not obtained"), 

 August, 1884. Foreign: Northern Nearctic region ; more southerly 

 in winter. Breeds, so far as is known, in the Arctic regions 

 of North-west America ; winters as far south as California in the 

 west, and the valley of the Mississippi in the east, and is said to 

 visit Japan at that season. Owing to the two races of this species 

 being confused, it is difficult to trace the geographical area of the 

 smaller form in any more detail with accuracy. 



Allied Forms. — Anser hyperboreus nivalis, only known to 

 breed in Hudson Bay Territory, but is probably circumpolar, as 

 it has occurred on migration in various localities throughout the 

 Palsearctic region, especially in Japan and China. Winters in 

 the United States south to Texas, and is an occasional visitor to 



