﻿SWAN GOOSE. 



49 



grain ; although it wanders about and roosts in the same 

 yards and out-houses with the tame or common domestic 

 Goose, it apparently prefers the immediate company 

 of its own species, being most frequently seen to 

 follow on each other's footsteps ; it is, besides, more 

 fond of straying, and on this account rather troublesome to 

 watch over. 



Like all other Geese, it is very much at home on the water, 

 but most of its time is spent on shore. 



Its note is much the same as that of the tame 

 Goose, but uttered in a higher pitch, and more frequently 

 repeated. 



The measurement of the present species is about three 

 feet and a half in length ; the beak, from the gape to the 

 tip, is three inches three lines ; the tarsus, four inches ; 

 the middle toe and nail four inches ; the outer toe nearly the 

 same. 



The beak is generally black, including the knob, although 

 the knob and base of the beak are in some individuals 

 orange-yellow ; the base of the upper mandible is encircled 

 by a white band that originates at the corner of the mouth, 

 and reaches across the forehead to the opposite corner of the 

 same ; the legs are black ; the middle and outer toes are 

 scaled, the inner toe and legs reticulated ; the top of the 

 head is dusky brown, at the hinder part of which begins 

 a black line, that goes down the nape and entire length of 

 the back of the neck ; the upper parts of the plumage are 

 cinereous brown, with paler edges to the feathers ; the 

 neck and breast are buff-colour, approaching to ochrous 

 yellow ; the belly, vent, and under tail-coverts, are 

 white ; the flanks are cinereous brown, with white edges to 

 the feathers. 



