SNOW GOOSE. 215 



the latter never hatched. The Snow Goose was in the habit of daily 

 frequenting a mill-pond in the vicinity, and returning regularly at night 

 along with the rest; but in the beginning of each spring it occasioned much 

 trouble. It then continually raised its head and wings, and attempted to fly 

 off; but finding this impossible, it seemed anxious to perform its long journey 

 on foot, and it was several times overtaken and brought back, after it had 

 proceeded more than a mile, having crossed fences and plantations in a direct 

 course northward. This propensity cost it its life: it had proceeded as far 

 as the banks of the Cooper river, when it was shot b}^ a person who supposed 

 it to be a wild bird. 



In the latter part of the autumn of 1832, whilst I was walking with my 

 wife, in the neighbourhood of Boston in Massachusetts, I observed on the 

 road a young Snow Goose in a beautiful state of plumage, and after making 

 some inquiries, found its owner, who was a gardener. He would not part 

 with it for any price offered. Some weeks after, a friend called one morning 

 and told me this gardener had sent his Snow Goose to town, and that it 

 would be sold by auction that day. I desired my friend to attend the sale, 

 which he did; and before a few hours had elapsed, the bird was in my posses- 

 sion, having been obtained for seventy-five cents ! We kept this Goose several 

 months in a small yard at the house where we boarded, along with the young 

 of the Sand-hill Crane, Grus Americana. It was fed on leaves and thin 

 stalks of cabbage, bread, and other vegetable substances. When the spring 

 approached, it exhibited great restlessness, seeming anxious to remove 

 northward, as was the case with Dr. Bachman's bird. Although the 

 gardener had kept it four years, it was not white, but had the lower part of 

 the neck and the greater portion of the back of a dark bluish tint, as repre- 

 sented in the plate. It died before we left Boston, to the great regret of my 

 family, as I had anticipated the pleasure of presenting it alive to my honoured 

 and noble friend the Earl of Derby. 



There can be little doubt that this species breeds in its grey plumage, 

 when it is generally known by the name of Blue-winged Goose, as is the 

 case with the young of Grus Americana, formerly considered as a distinct 

 species, and named Grus Canadensis. 



Snow Goose, Anas hyperborea, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 76. 



Anser hypereoreus, Bonap. Syn., p. 376. 



Snow Goose, Nutt. Man., p. 344. 



Anser hypereoreus, Snow Goose, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 467. 



Snow Goose, Anser hyperboreus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 562. 



Male, 31|, 62. Female, 26, 55. 



