і о Geese of Europe and Asia 



Claw of posterior digit (hallux) does not touch ground in 

 walking. 



32 (33) Whole (or almost whole) of chin feathered. Bill very small, 



with very convex nail on upper mandible. Teeth not visible 



with bill shut. Tail in adult black ; in young birds, with 



narrow white tips to the feathers. 

 Colouring consists of following tints : black, rufous, and white. 



Genus Rufibrenta, Bonaparte (1856). 

 Foreneck, upper breast, and aural region of a rufous chestnut 



colour, and bordered with white and, in places (on the breast), 



black stripes (adult), or foreneck and upper breast rufescent, 



and aural region with black and white mottling (young birds) ; 



across blackish wing, at ends of greater coverts, two white 



or whitish belts. 

 Culmen 23-25 mm. ( = .90-. 98 in.); wing 350-360 mm. 



(= 13. 17-14. 10 in.). R. ruficollis, Pallas. 



33 (32) Upper half of chin not feathered. No chestnut or rufous colour- 



ing in feathering ; breast black. 



34 (39) Whole head black. Upper and lower tail-coverts always white, 



and reach tip of tail-feathers. Genus Branta, Scopoli (1769). 



35 (38) In adults, a white patch on each side of neck, consisting of white 



streaks, in young birds either wanting or only traces. Now 



and then, in adults, these spots touch in front. 

 36(37) Belly slate-grey; culmen 30-38 mm. (=1.20-1.50 in.); wing 



312-345 mm. ( = 12.30-13.60 in.). B. bernicla, Linnaeus. 



2,7 (36) Belly pearly greyish or ochreous white. Otherwise as in type 



form. B. bernicla glaucogaster, Brehm. 



38 (35) In adults, white patches on neck always widely separated on 



front, and often on hind surface of neck. In young birds, this 

 collar either absent or feebly developed. Whole feathering of 

 adults darker, and belly as black as breast. Dimensions as in 

 last. B. bernicla nigricans, Lawrence. 



39 (34) Upper and under tail-coverts do not reach tips of tail-feathers. 



Head partly white. 



40 (41) Neck long; forehead black. On black head, only hind part of 



cheeks and aural region white. These spots often confluent 

 on throat, but sometimes perfectly distinct. 1 On feather- 

 ing of body and wings no sub-terminal black spots. Genus Leucoblepharon, Baird 

 Bill 30^-48^ mm. (=1.20-1.90 in.); wing 373-449 mm. (1858). 



( = i4'75~ 1 7-75 m -)- L. kutchinsi, Rich. & Swains. 



41 (40) Neck short ; forehead, with exception of black streak at base of 



upper mandible, white. On feathers of back, scapulars, and 



wing-coverts sub-terminal black crescentic stripes (adults), or 



wide black bands (young birds). Genus Leucopareia, Reichenbach 



Greater part of head white; lores, occiput, nape of neck, and (1852). 



streak at base of upper mandible on top of forehead — black. 



General colouring of body pale ashen grey. 

 Culmen 28-36.3 mm. (=1.10-1.43 in.); wing 378-429 mm. 



(= 14.90-16.80 in.). L. leucopsis, Bechstein. 



1 I suspect that this depends on the age of the birds, but I have no data to decide this question. 



