SNOW GOOSE. 129 



considerable. In a paper published in tlie "Ibis," 

 vol. ii, p. 253, entitled "Hecollections of the Swans and 

 Geese of Hudson's Bay," Mr. B. denies that A. ceru- 

 lescens is the young of ^. hyperhoreus. He says, "The 

 friendly intercourse that exists between these Geese 

 (Snow Geese) and the Blue Wavies, the Anser cceru- 

 lescens, has perhaps induced some to suppose that 

 they were merely varieties; but this is a mistake. 

 The young White Wavies arrive from the north with 

 their parents, without mixture of other Geese in the 

 flocks; and they have the same white garb as the 

 old birds, but with the head as if it had been soiled 

 with rust of iron, and the bill, as is well known with 

 young birds, tender, soft, and compressible; while, on 

 the other hand, A. ccerulescens comes down upon the 

 eastern coast also in perfectly distinct flocks, the young 

 birds having a more difl"used and darker blue colour, 

 as well as being of smaller size, with the beak more 

 tender. About this there can be no mistake. In the 

 spring James's Bay is frequently crossed by both species 

 of Wavy at Capes Jones and Henrietta Maria; and 

 occasionally two or three Blue may be seen in a large 

 flock of White on the Albany shore, while two -or 

 three White may also be observed accompanying the 

 full flocks of Blue on the east main side; but this is 

 not singular, as their cry is almost the same, and they 

 are certainly closely-allied species — but not varieties." 



These observations seem to throw much light upon 

 this hitherto somewhat obscure question. It certainly 

 would have been a remarkable fact in ornithology if it 

 could have been proved that any of the AnatidcB 

 were four years in attaining their full plumage. 



If Mr. Barnston is correct in the inference he has 

 drawn, and I must say I think there is every reason 



