BEAST GOOSE. 71 



Along the whole Atlantic slope it is rare; formerly, perhaps, it was 

 not uncommon, but at present it is hardly more than an occasional 

 winter visitant north to the coast of New Jersey, and an accidental 

 migrant to New England, thence north to Labrador, where it has only 

 once been recorded. It is not common in the interior east of the Miss- 

 issippi River, and winters from the Gulf to southern Illinois and 

 southern Ohio. The species is somewhat more common in migration 

 along the eastern portion of the plains, wintering in southern Texas 

 and more commonly in northern Mexico. The principal winter home 

 is on the Pacific slope from Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, and 

 Lake Chapala, Jalisco, to southern British Columbia. The few Asiatic 

 birds winter on the coasts of China and Japan. 



Spring migration. — The average date when the first migrants reach 

 central Nebraska is March 9; Keokuk, Iowa, March 19; Aweme, Mani- 

 toba, April 18 (earliest April 6, 1905); Indian Head, Saskatchewan, 

 April 22; Fort Vermillion, Alberta, April 27, 1904; Fort Resolution, 

 Mackenzie, May .7, 1860; Fort Simpson, May 11, 1904; Fort Enter- 

 prise, May 17, 1821; Fort Anderson, May 16, 1864, May 17. 1865; 

 Coronation Gulf, May 31, 1851. 



On the Pacific slope migration is somewhat earlier; the first appear 

 at St. Michael, Alaska, April 25 to May 10; at Nulato, May 6-10; 

 Kowak River, May 10, 1899; Point Barrow, May 16, 1882, May 25, 

 1883. During the second half of April the last migrants leave the 

 region south of Iowa and Nebraska; the average of the last seen at 

 Aweme, Manitoba, for six years is May 11, and the latest May 17, 1898; 

 the last leave California the first week in May. The first eggs were 

 found near the mouth of the Yukon May 27, 1879; downy young were 

 seen on the Kowak River June 24, 1899. 



Fall migration. — Adults begin to leave the most northern breeding 

 grounds by the middle of July, but so slow is the movement south- 

 ward that on the average the first do not appear in southern Manitoba 

 until September 26 (earliest September 7, 1902), and they reach the 

 winter home, Louisiana to Texas, about the middle of October. At 

 the same time the earliest of the fall migrants appear in central Cali- 

 fornia, but the main flight does not arrive before November. The 

 species has been noted at Stockton, Cal., as early as September 7. 

 The last was noted at Point Barrow, Alaska, August 18, 1882; at the 

 Kowak River, September 12, 1898; at St. Michael about October 7, 

 and near Fort Wrigley, Mackenzie, October 9, 1903. The average 

 date when the last are seen at Aweme, Manitoba, is October 13, and 

 the latest was November 3, 1899. 



Anser fabalis (Lath.). Bean Goose. 



An Old World species of accidental occurrence (once) in northern 

 Greenland. 



