"NOVAIA ZEMLIA BEAN-GOOSE " 



Melanonyx carneirostris, Buturlin 



Anser segetum, Heuglin, Ornith, von Novaja Semlja und WaTgatch (Journ. f. Orn., Cab. 1872, pp. 121 and 

 122); Menzbier, Pt. Ross., i. p. 747 (1895); Buturlin, Tabl. dlya Opred. Plastinchatokl. (" Psov. i 

 Ruzh. Okh.," 1900) ; id., separ., p. 7 ; ? Dresser, Birds of Europe, vi. p. 369 {partzm}, Nov. Zeml.), 

 1878; ? Naumann, Vogel Deutschl., xi. p. 287 (1842) (Rostro rubicundo pedibus flavis)\ Frohawk, 

 MS. et figura capitis, Feb. 1903. 



Anser {Melanonyx) carneirostris, Buturlin, Dikie Gusi Ross. Imp. ("Psov. i Ruzh. Okh.," 1901); id., separ., pp. 

 28-30 (1901). 



? Anser brachyrhynchus, Semenov, " Prir. i Okhot," July 1898, pp. 13-14. 



? Anser rufescens, Smirnov, " Zur Ornis d. Barenzmeeres.," Ornith. Jahrb., xii. 1901, pt. 6, pp. 206-207; 

 ? Palmen, Finl. Fogl., ii. p. 339 { — segetum?) 



Anser carneirostris, Semenov, " Rossiya," ii. p. 104 (1902). 



Judging by the information to hand, the goose first described by von Heuglin from 

 Novaia Zemlia, and subsequently called Melanonyx carneirostris by Buturlin, is distin- 

 guished from the typical bean-goose (M. segetum), to which a yellow-orange band on the 

 bill is usually ascribed, merely by the fact that this band, instead of being yellow-orange, is 

 dark flesh-colour, while the legs and feet are of the same yellow colour (of various tints) as 

 in Melanonyx segetum. 



Unfortunately, no ornithologist has of late years carefully examined and preserved 

 specimens of M. carneirostris, although several undoubtedly have had them in their hands. 



For example, Professor M. A. Menzbier writes quite definitely of them in his Ptitsy 

 Rossii: 1 "Such geese have often been in my hands among ordinary bean-geese, to which 

 I referred them." 



Of a goose with a light flesh-coloured bill and yellow feet from the Ryazan Govern- 

 ment, where it was shot from a flock simultaneously with the ordinary M. segetum, 

 Mr. A. P. Semenov makes mention. 



Personally I have not seen fresh-killed geese with such different colouring of bill 

 and feet, although it is quite probable that I have had such in my hands among skins 

 of bean-geese I have examined ; but, as I have already more than once said in the present 

 work, it is impossible to infer the colouring of the soft-parts of the living birds from 

 such skins. I was extremely delighted, therefore, by a letter I received from Mr. 

 Frohawk of February 28, 1903, containing not only a description but a coloured figure of 

 the head of a goose which I cannot but consider to be the so-called Novaia Zemlia 

 bean-goose, as it agreed with the characters given by von Heuglin. 



This goose (a female) was killed in Holland on February 17, 1903, by Mr. Pike, 

 who at once sent it to Mr. Frohawk, by whom straightway the bill was drawn, and careful 

 measurements taken. 



1 Vol. i. p. 747. 

 120 



