r 



SNOW GOOSE {Chen hyperboreus hyper- ' 



loreus) . Geese are usually larger than ducks, 

 their bills are shorter, stouter and the "gut- 

 ters" or flutings on the sides are very promi- 

 nent, producing a sort of grinning effect. 

 Adult Snow Geese are entirely white, except 

 the primaries, which are black. The head is 

 often or usually tinged with pale rusty and 

 the bill and feet are pinkish. Young birds 

 are gray or variously mottled. This variety 

 measures about 25 in. in length. They 

 nest on the ground within the Arctic Circle 

 west of Hudson Bay to Alaska. In winter 

 they are found throughout western United 

 States and casually in the east. They usu- 

 ally occur in large flocks, fly high in a long, 

 extended hne and are very wary whether in 

 flight or feeding. They live on grain, tender 

 grasses, moUusks and insects; their flesh is 

 palatable, but not nearly equal to that of 

 Canada Geese. 



GREATER SNOW GEESE {Chen hy- 

 perboreus nivalis) vary from the preceding 

 only in size, measuring about 30 in. in length. 

 Large specimens of the last are just like 

 small ones of this, so that the distinction is 

 not perfectly satisfactory, as it has to be 

 based largely upon locahty found. The 

 present variety is supposed to breed east of 

 Hudson Bay and to winter in southeastern 

 United States. Migrates chiefly through 

 the interior, but is not uncommon on the Atlantic coast south of Chesa- 

 peake Bay. 



BLUE GOOSE {Chen ccerulescens) . This is midway between the two pre- 

 vious varieties in size and for a long time was supposed to be a color phase or 

 a young plumage of the Snow Goose. Its breeding range is not definitely 

 known, but is supposed to be in northern Ungava. They migrate through 

 the Mississippi Valley and winter in the southern portions of it. They are 

 also of rare or casual occurrence on the Atlantic coast and west of the Rocky 

 Mountains. They cannot be termed at all abundant, but sizable flocks of 

 them are sometimes seen and again one or two individuals may be in with a 

 company of Snow Geese. Those who have eaten them declare their flesh 

 to be better than that of the last species. 



SNOW GOOSE 

 BLXJE GOOSE 



