210 THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



The flight of the White-fronted is very similar to that of the Canada 

 Goose, being firm and well sustained. When travelling, these birds pass at 

 a considerable height, arranged in the same angular order, and apparently 

 guided by one of the older Ganders. They walk with ease, and can run 

 with considerable speed when wounded. In feeding they immerse their 

 necks, like other species; but during continued rains they visit the cornfields 

 and large savannahs. While in Kentucky they feed on the beech nuts and 

 acorns that drop along the margins of their favourite ponds. In the fields 

 they pick up the grains of maize left by the squirrels and racoons, and nibble 

 the young blades of grass. In their gizzards I have never found fishes nor 

 water lizards, but often broken shells of different kinds of snails. 



They leave us a fortnight sooner than the Canada Geese, and start along 

 with the Snow Geese, but keep in separate flocks. In this order they have 

 been observed travelling over the fur countries by Dr. Richardson, who 

 informs us that they breed in the woody districts skirting Mackenzie's 

 river to the north of the sixty-seventh parallel, and also on the islands of the 

 Arctic sea; but that they are not common about Hudson's bay. The egg of 

 this Goose measures two inches and three-quarters in length, by one and 

 three-quarters in breadth. The shell is smooth, of a dull yellowish-green, 

 with indistinct patches of a darker tint of the same colour. 



Anser albifrons, Bonap. Syn., p. 376. 



Anser albifrons, Laughing Goose, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 456. 



White-fronted Goose, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 346. 



White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 568. 



Male, 27*, 60. 



Through the interior of the Western and Southern States during winter, 

 as well as along the coast, from Massachusetts to Texas. Columbia river. 

 Breeds in the far north. 



Adult Male. 



Bill shorter than the head, much higher than broad at the base, somewhat 

 conical, depressed towards the end, rounded at the tip. Upper mandible 

 with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge broad and flattened, but slightly 

 convex, the sides sloping, the edges with twenty-eight oblique lamellae, the 

 unguis circular, convex, obscurely denticulate along the edge. Nasal groove 

 oblong, parallel to the ridge, filled by the soft membrane of the bill; nostrils 

 medial, lateral, longitudinal, narrow-elliptical, open, pervious. Lower man- 

 dible nearly straight, with the angle very long and rather narrow, the edges 

 soft and obtuse, with about forty oblique, slightly recurved lamellse. 



Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long and 



