4 6 



Geese of Europe and Asia 



Dimensions of Adult Birds 



Total length . 



Wing .... 



Culmen 



Bill from gape 



Height of upper mandible 



Breadth of upper mandible at base 



Tarsus ..... 



635-7 б о mm. ( = 24.25-30 in.). 

 375-435 mm. ( = 1475-17 in.). 

 40-56 mm. (= 1.57-2.20 in.). 1 

 40-56 mm. (= 1.57-2.20 in.). 1 

 23.5 mm. ( = 0.90-1.20 in.). 

 22-26 mm. ( = 0.85-1.05 in.). 

 51-81 mm. ( = 2.25-3.20 in.). 2 



The number of teeth on each side of the upper mandible, so far as I have yet been 

 able to convince myself, is for the most part about 28, and in rare cases 26 ; but I have 

 not had sufficient material to finally clear up this point. 



The weight of these geese fluctuates between 5 and 6^ lbs. More exact data have 

 been given by Mr. Popham in the Field, 1903 (January 17, No. 2612), where this author, 

 from 21 specimens, found the maximum weight = 6 lbs., minimum = 4 lbs., and mean 5^ lbs. 

 Seeing that, as we go east, white-fronted geese somewhat increase in dimensions, it is 

 desirable that sportsmen should furnish us with data of the weight of all specimens of this 

 species they may take. 



Having regard to the part played hitherto by bill-dimensions in various specimens 

 of the white-fronted goose in dividing it into a western and eastern form, I consider it worth 

 while to cite some of the measurements made by myself from skins obtained from various 

 localities in Russia. Unfortunately, in many cases the sex of the birds was not determined. 



Culmen along straight line from forehead to end of nail of upper mandible : — 



ct 48.5 mm. 



Young bird 46 „ 



Sex ? 45 



Young bird 43 „ 



Sex ? 51 



? 49 



? 43 



? 52 „ 



? 46 „ 



$ 52 



? 47 



$ 53 



& 44 



? 52 „ 



? 49 



? 48 „ 



? 49 



? 52 



? 46 „ 



$ 48 „ 



? 56 „ 



? 47 



? 48.5 „ 



1 In American race 



I.90 

 : 1. 8l 

 177 

 I.69 

 2.00 

 I.92 

 I.69 

 2.04 

 1. 8l 

 2.О4 

 I.85 

 2.08 



І.7З 

 2.О4 

 I.92 



1.88 

 1.92 

 2.04 

 1. 81 

 1.88 



:2.20 

 1.85 



: I.9O 



in 



.) Livonia (Buturlin). 



) Novaia Zemlia (Nosilov). 



) Kharkov Government (Somov). 



) Shlisselburg (Pleske). 



) ? Voronezh Government (Severtsov). 



) Orenburg region (Eversmann). 



) Kirgiz steppe (Karelni). 



) Kamchatka (Voznesensky). 



) Kamchatka (Voznesensky). 



) Kamchatka (Voznesensky). 



) Japan (Nagasaki) (Polyakov). 



) Sakhalin (Suprunenko). 



) Sakhalin (Suprunenko). 



) Bering Island (Grebnicki). 3 



) Yezo (Maksimovich). 



) Chukchiland (Baron Maidel). 



) Chukchiland (Baron Maidel). 



) Chukchiland (Baron Maidel). 4 



) Chukchiland (Baron Maidel). 5 



) Verkhne-Kolymsk (Father Vasili). 



) Anadyr (Grinewecki). 



) Anadyr (Olsufiev). 



) Yakut Territory (Maak). 



7 i-e. Anser albifrons gambeli, culmen sometimes reaches 60 mm. ( = 2.35 in.) in length. 



2 Variability in length of tarsus in geese very great, and far from corresponding to' length of bill, so that I accord only secondary 

 importance to this measurement. 



3 A young specimen, in which five external wing-feathers of left wing and two external wing-feathers of right are pure white— a very 

 rare feature, it would seem, of partial albinism among geese. 



4 Labelled " A?tser intermedins." 



5 Labelled " A. gambeli? and further, "bill dark colour, on upper surface and near edges slightly orange." Evidently bird came 

 into hands of label-writer some time after death. 



