Greater Snow-Goose 67. 
In Colorado the Snow-Goose is a bird of passage in spring and autumn, 
chiefly on the eastern plains ; it is also reported by Sullivan at Grand 
Junction about March 4th and October 20th (Rockwell). It was noted 
at Fort Lyon and Loveland in the plains by Carter, and in Middle Park 
(Cooke), while there is an example in the Colorado Museum of Natural 
History at Denver, killed at Barr Lake by J. T. Mason. Henshaw, 
many years ago, was informed that it wintered in San Luis Valley, 
but this has never been confirmed. 
Habits.—Goss states that he has seen thousands of 
these Geese in the fall and early spring in the Arkansas 
Valley, feeding on the winter wheat, pulling up the young 
and tender blades with a sudden jerk and doing a great 
deal of damage. The flight is noisy and usually in the 
form of a V, headed by a recognized leader. 
Greater Snow-Goose. Chen hypoboreus nivalis. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 169a—Colorado Records—Cooke 97, pp. 58, 
196; Henderson 03, p. 234; 09, p. 226. 
Description.—Only differing from Chen hypoboreus in its larger 
dimensions—i.e. length 27; wing17-0 or more; tail 6-5; culmen 2-5 ; 
tarsus 3-25. 
Distribution.—Breeding north of Hudson Bay—exact locality 
uncertain; in winter chiefly east of the Mississippi Valley, and on 
the Atlantic coast to the Greater Antilles. 
In Colorado this eastern bird is only a straggler. A Goose shot 
by Z. X. Snyder east of Greeley, March 20th, 1895, and another on 
Boyd’s Lake near Loveland, April 9th, 1899, by J. F. Campion, the 
latter now in the State collection at Denver, both seem referable to 
this subspecies. 
Ross’s Goose. Chen rossi. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 170—Colorado Record—Felger 07, p. 211. 
Description.—In plumage resembling the Snow Goose but much 
smaller; outline of frontal feathers on the base of the bill nearly straight, 
not convex; base of the bill studded with numerous fleshy papille, 
and the cutting-edges of the bill not black and not showing the horny 
teeth so plainly. Length 21; wing 14:5; tail 5-0; culmen 1-5; 
tarsus 2-5. 
Distribution.—Exact breeding grounds unknown, probably the 
Arctic islands between 120° and 110° W. long. ; south in winter, 
chiefly on the coast of California. 
F2 
