Swan-Goose 179 



Geographical Distribution 



So far as known, comparatively simple ; the limits on the west being the rivers Obi 

 and Tobol, and on the east Kamchatka, and the Komandor and Kuril Islands. 



The whole of Siberia within these limits, with the exception, of course, of a few spots 

 unsuitable for nesting, must be regarded as the home of this goose — in other words, its 

 breeding-grounds ; but the northern boundary of its range in Siberia is not yet ascertained, 

 there being no trustworthy data for the purpose. It may, however, be surmised with great 

 probability that it passes far below the Arctic Circle, and nowhere reaches the same. From 

 the shore of the Okhotsk Sea the species has not been recorded (as already observed by 

 Schrenck), and the same holds good for Sakhalin, but this does not prove that it does not 

 exist there, although it can hardly breed on Sakhalin on account of the apparent absence of 

 suitable spots. The chief centre of distribution of the swan-goose must be considered the 

 whole region surrounding Lake Baikal, Transbaikalia, and all Northern Mongolia, as well 

 as the whole course of the Amur, the Argun, and the Ussuri district. The bird migrates 

 to winter in the Celestial Empire, where at that season, according to the Abbe David, native 

 fowlers furnish the markets of Shanghai and Tian-Tsin with these geese. It also winters in 

 Korea and Japan, where it is a resident. According to the same authority, the swan-goose 

 leaves China for the north very early. 



In regard to its distribution in Central Asia, we have known from the time of Pallas 

 that it is found in the Altai Mountains, that is, on the Charysh, Koksun, and Teletsk Lakes ; 

 but how far south its limit reaches is not yet ascertained. Przewalski met with broods of 

 these geese and moulting old birds in the valley of the Yellow River on Tsaidamin-Nor ; 

 but in Tsaidam, on Koko-Nor, he says that the species does not occur. On the other hand, 

 during the journey from Ala-shan to Urga, through the Gobi, his expedition frequently met 

 with flocks migrating in August. 



In Turkestan the swan-goose occurs only as a casual visitor. Severtsov mentions 

 that it was obtained by Karelin from Semirechiya, and he himself saw geese which he took for 

 this species in May 1864, in the steppe between Verny and Kastek at a height of about 3000 

 feet, near the backwaters of some mountain streams. 1 As to the suggestion made by Mr. 

 Bogdanov {Ptitsy i zveri Povolzhyd), " that there is nothing impossible in swan-geese occur- 

 ring on passage on the Volga," this seems incredible, as in such case this goose should winter 

 at least somewhere in Europe, of which we have no evidence. Its casual occurrence on the 

 Volga and farther west is of course possible, and I even fully believe, as appears from the 

 notice of Philacte canadica, that the latter has been twice obtained on that river, but between 

 such casual visits and regular migration the difference is very great. As I cannot give a 

 more accurate definition of the range in Asia, I will now quote such observations as furnish 

 the most valuable information with regard to the habits of this goose. Dr. Radde, for 

 example, writes as follows: 2 "On Lake Baikal swan-geese keep only to the mouths of the 

 larger streams falling into the lake, and I never met them on the steep shores of Lake Baikal 

 itself. Moreover, these geese are not plentiful there in winter, but in August 1855, of an 

 evening, their loud, resonant notes might be clearly heard in the delta of the Angara, over- 

 powering those of the other water-fowl. In summer these geese are by no means uncommon, 



1 I quite admit this goose may appear in winter in Turkestan, but I cannot but treat Severtsov's determinations with some scepticism, 

 as he identified Anser obsciims from that region. 



2 Sib. Reis., ii. p. 350, etc. 



