i88 



Geese of Europe and Asia 



eggs of the group of bean-geese (Melanonyx), the porosity of whose shells at once indicates their com- 

 paratively small weight ; while the delicate appearance of the shell of the eggs of the black-legs clearly 

 indicates their comparatively slight weight. The annexed table must, accordingly, serve as the chief aid 

 to the determination of the eggs of the species of geese quoted. 



This table, unfortunately, is still rather meagre, owing to the lack of sufficient material determined 

 with absolute accuracy : but any one who has undoubted specimens can supplement the lacunae in the 

 table and thus render it more nearly perfect. 1 



The weight of imperfectly cleaned eggs must never be entered in the table, and the observer must 

 be satisfied by putting, in place of their weight, the sign x or ? in the respective column, to show that the 

 egg of the dimensions given was unfit to weigh in consequence of not being perfectly clean. The insertion 

 of a shell not of the true weight would render the table valueless. In its present form the table gives an 

 experienced observer a comparatively large amount of material for determinations ; and it may even 

 prevent an amateur from purchasing or placing in his collection eggs which have been wrongly determined. 



TABLE OF WEIGHT, BREADTH, AND LENGTH OF EGGS OF ANSERINE— Continued* 



Weight in Centigrammes. 



Breadth 



Length 



Ans. anser. 



Melanonyx 



Melanonyx 



Cygnopsis 



Eulabeia indica. 



Anser albifrons. 



Anser albifrons 



m mm. 



m mm. 





segetum. 



arvensis. 



cygnoides. 







gambeli. 



57 



85 









X 











84 







1272 



. . . 













83 





X 





X 









•• 





79-5 



1620 

















56.5 



88.5 

 81.5 



... 



••• 





... 



1422 



1248 







56 



87-5 

 86 



84 

 83-S 



... 



X 



1308 





X 



159° 





... 





•• 





83 





1278 



X 



\ x \ 



\ 1530 J 





... 





. , 





















81 





X 



. . . 



... 







Il88 





80 







.... 







1 104 



... 





79-5 



.... 



1290 





1500 





... 



... 





79 







1 1 10 













78.5 









1362 











78 







1074 









... 



55-5 



88 



87 

 84 



83-5 

 82.5 

 82 



81.5 



81 

 80 



79 



... 



135° 



1296 

 1266 



1278 



1ЗМ 

 1308 

 1308 



1500 





1 146 



IO92 

 Ю98 



... 



55 



82 



81. S 

 81 



79 



... 



... 



1266 

 1260 

 1236 



1393 





... 



... 



1 I consider it not superfluous to note here that the eggs of A. anser, С cygnoides, and other domesticated races must by no means 

 serve to make good the omissions. Eggs laid in captivity must always be regarded as more or less abnormal, and in no case as typical. — 

 G. F. Gobel. 



