vi Geese of Europe and Asia 



course make the book heavy reading, but if my main object — clearness — is attained, I trust 

 to escape blame on this score. 



While giving almost all the synonyms for each species and race, I considered it 

 unnecessary to quote every reference, especially as this has been already done by Count 

 Salvadori in vol. xxvii. of the British Museum Catalogue of Birds. I have, however, made an 

 exception in the case of Russian writers, both scientific and sporting, since they are far 

 less known in England than they deserve. 



My special thanks are due to the following gentlemen for their assistance in preparing 

 the present book : — 



Mr. F. W. Frohawk, to whom I owe not only the truthful and masterly drawings of 

 geese and their bills reproduced in the plates, but also numerous notes on specimens in the 

 British Museum and private collections. 



Dr. V. Bianchi, Curator of the Ornithological Department of the Zoological Museum 

 of the St. Petersburg Academy of Science. Professor M. A. Menzbier and Dr. P. P. Sushkin, 

 who sent me valuable specimens for examination — the latter having also furnished me with 

 highly interesting MS. notes and given me the water-colour sketch, by himself, representing 

 a scene of goose-life on one of the lakes of the Turgai district, which served as the original 

 to the frontispiece. 



Mr. S. A. Buturlin, who has helped me in every way, with material and notes and the 

 MS. extract from his diary kept on the voyage to Kolguev and Novaia Zemlia, which the 

 reader will find at the end of this volume. 



Mr. G. F. Gobel, the well-known oologist, who has kindly placed at my disposal his 

 MS. notes on the eggs of geese, part of which is given as an appendix to the present work. 



Professor N. F. Kashchenko, of Tomsk University ; the well-known traveller and 

 ornithologist, Mr. N. A. Zarudny ; Mr. A. P. Semenov ; and Prince V. S. Kochubei, to whom 

 I am indebted for specimens of the highest interest. 



And the translator, Mr. John Marshall, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. 



SERGE ALPHERAKY. 



St. Petersburg, August 1904. 



