THE BLACK BRANT 205 



There are three subspecies of the Canada Goose, all smaller, 

 but otherwise very similar. The White-Cheeked Goose 

 inhabits the Pacific coast, north to Sitka; and the Cackling 

 Goose is found in the same region, and on up to the Yukon. 

 Hutchin's Goose is merely a small edition of the Canada. 



The Black Brant^ is a very distinct bird, noticeably 

 smaller than the Canada goose, and readily recognized by 

 its blackness and its small size. Its head, neck and breast 

 are entirely black, save for a white collar going two-thirds 

 of the way around the upper neck. The black of the neck 

 does not end abruptly at the shoulders, but spreads back 

 over the back and under-parts until the final effect is that of 

 a bird which is two-thirds black. 



Although this bird is generally accounted rare on the 

 Atlantic coast, the New York Zoological Society has secured 

 many fine living specimens from Currituck Sound, on the 

 coast of North Carolina. Beyond doubt, however, it is rare 

 everywhere in the eastern United States. It is remarkable 

 for the fact that it migrates northward not only to the deso- 

 late shores of the Arctic Ocean, but far beyond, and must 

 nest and rear its young far out on the great polar ice-pack. 



The Brant Goose^ is quite a different species from the 

 preceding. The black of its neck ends abruptly at the shoul- 

 ders, and the white collar is a mere broken patch, without 

 decided character. The body is everywhere much lighter 

 than the color of the black brant, with which this species is 

 often confounded, because the two are often found together, 



1 Bran'ta ni'gri-cans. Average length, about 24 inches. 

 " Bran'ta ber'ni-cla. 



