SNOW GOOSE. 67 



nail ; the color of the bill is a purplish carmine ; the edges of the two 

 mandibles separate from each other in a singular manner for their whole 

 length, and this gibbosity is occupied by dentated rows resembling teeth, 

 these and the parts adjoining being of a blackish color ; the whole 

 plumage is of a snowy whiteness, with the exception, first of the fore 

 part of the head all round as far as the eyes, which is of a yellowish 

 rust color intermixed with white, and second, the nine exterior quill 

 feathers, which are black shafted with white, and white at the root, the 

 coverts of these last, and also the bastard wing, is sometimes of a pale 

 ash color ; the legs and feet of the same purplish carmine as the bill ; 

 iris dark hazel ; the tail is rounded, and consists of sixteen feathers ; 

 that and the wings when shut, nearly of a length. 



The bill of this bird is singularly curious ; the edges of the upper and 

 lower gibbosities have each twenty-three indentations, or strong teeth 

 on each side ; the inside or concavity of the upper mandible has also 

 seven lateral rows of strong projecting teeth ; and the tongue, which is 

 horny at the extremity, is armed on each side with thirteen long and 

 sharp bony teeth, placed like those of a saw with their points directed 

 backwards ; the tongue, turned up and viewed on its lower side, looks 

 very much like a human finger with its nail. This conformation of the 

 mandibles, exposing two rows of strong teeth, has probably given rise 

 to the epithet Laughing, bestowed on one of its varieties ; though it 

 might with as much propriety have been named the Grinning Goose. 



The specimen from which the above figure and description were taken, 

 was shot on the Delaw^are, below Philadelphia, on the fifteenth of 

 February ; and on dissection proved to be a male ; the windpipe had no 

 labyrinth, but for an inch or two before its divarication into the lungs, 

 was inflexible, not extensile like the rest, and rather wider in diameter. 

 The gullet had an expansion before entering the stomach ; which last 

 was remarkably strong, the two great grinding muscles being nearly 

 five inches in diameter. The stomach was filled with fragments of the 

 roots of reeds, and fine sand. The intestines measured eight feet in 

 length, and were not remarkably thick. The liver was small. For 

 the young and female of this species, see Plate LXIX., fig. 5. 



Latham observes that this species is very numerous at Hudson's Bay ; 

 that they visit Severn river in' May, and stay a fortnight, but go 

 farther north to breed ; they return to Severn Fort the beginning of 

 September, and stay till the middle of October, when^they depart for the 

 south, and are observed to be attended by their young in flocks innu- 

 merable. They seem to occupy also the western side of America, as 

 they were seen at Aoonalashka* as well as Kamtschatka.f White Brant 

 with black tips to their wings, were also shot by Captains Lewis and 



* Ellis's Narr. t Hist. Kamtsch. 



