ZOOLOGY — BIRDS. 67 



BERNICLA HUTOHINSII, Richardson.— Hutchin's Goose. 



Bernida kulchinsii, KioH. & Sw. F. Bor. Am. vol. II, p. 470. — Auo. B. of A. Fol. pi. 277. 

 Ansa- hutehinsii, AuD. Oct. vol. VI, p. 198, pi. 377. 



Arrive in California towards the end of September or beginning of October. On their 

 advent they are much emaciated by their long voyage from the northern regions, but after 

 feeding a short time on the young, lender, nutritious grasses which sprout after the first winter 

 rains, they form one of the greatest delicacies of the pioneer's repast. From the facility, 

 however, with which great numbers of them are obtained, they soon fall into disrepute. 



Whilst hunting during a space of two months in Suisun valley, I observed them, with other 

 species of geese, at dawn, high in the air, winging their way towards the prairies and hilly 

 slopes, where the tender young wild oats and grapes offered a tempting pasturage. This early 

 flight lasted about two hours, and as far as the eye could reach the sky was spotted with flock 

 after flock, closely following in each other's wake, until it seemed as though all the geese of 

 California had given rendezvous at this particular point. Between ten and eleven o'clock they 

 would leave the prairies, first in small squads, then in large masses, settling in the marshes 

 and collecting around the ponds and sloughs thickly edged with heavy reeds. Here, swimming 

 on the water, bathing and pluming themselves, they keep up a continued but not unmusical 

 clatter. This proves the most propitious time of the day for the hunter, who, under cover of 

 the tall reeds, and guided by their continual cackling, approaches closely enough to deal havoo 

 among them. Discharging one load as they sit on the water and the other as they rise, I have 

 thus seen twenty-three geese gathered from two shots, while many more, wounded and maimed, 

 fluttered away and were lost. At about one o'clock they leave the marshes and return to feed 

 on the prairies, flying low and affording the sportsman again an opportunity to stop their 

 career. In the afternoon, about five o'clock, they finally leave the prairies, and rising high 

 in the air wend their way to the roosting places whence they came in the morning. These 

 were often at a great distance, as I have followed them in their evening flight until they were 

 lost to view. Many, however, roost in the marshes. Our boat, sailing one night down the 

 sloughs leading to Suisun bay, having come among them, the noise made as they rose in 

 advance of us, emitting their cry of alarm, (their disordered masses being so serried that we 

 could hear their pinions strike each other as they flew,) impressed us with the idea that we 

 must have disturbed thousands. Such are the habits of the geese during the winter. Towards 

 spring they separate into smaller flocks and gradually disappear from the country, some few 

 only remaining, probably crippled and unable to follow the more vigorous in their northern 

 migration. On examination, I found a great difference in the size of this bird, but beyond 

 this could discover no peculiar characteristics by which to mark them as distinct species. 

 Many have from a few white feathers up to a fall and distinct white ring on the neck, at the 

 point where the black joins the grey of the breast. Intermediate grades so closely approaching 

 one another in size, form, and color render it impossible to make any decided, certain, and 

 marked classification among them. I observed these birds very abundant about the bay of San 

 Diego, searching for small shell-fish and sea grasses on the shores at low tide. 



