346 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



stage before the black colouring matter began to appear; but in 

 no case anything near as white as in gambeli. In the seventh 

 stage the drab is appearing, in the eighth it has increased in 

 intensity, as have also the black markings. In all these three 

 the black markings are much less than in the gambeli series, and 

 in all cases completely broken by the drab feathers. In this it 

 will be seen that my observations agree perfectly with those of 

 other writers. In all these birds the outer wing-coverts are 

 much darker than in the series of gambeli. 



The legs and toes are a bright orange yellow. Bill pale livid 

 yellow. Nail shining white with a tinge of slate. Iride dark 

 hazel, and eyelid dark drab. The measurements and weights of 

 these I give in order: — Length 27| in. ; wing 165- in. ; weight 

 5^- lb.; bill 1*85 in.; tarsus 2'60 in.; neck 7^ in. Length 27J in. ; 

 wing 16 in.; weight 5|- lb.; bill 1*80 in.; tarsus 2*60 in. Adult 

 female : Length 27 in. ; wing 16g- in. ; weight 5 J lb. ; bill 1*80 in. ; 

 tarsus 2*65 in. 



Anser gambeli. — Tenth and eleventh stages. Shot, Co. Mayo, 

 February 6th, 1901, and February, 1894 ?. 



It remains now to describe the two last and most important 

 stages in this bird. The breeding bird with entirely black under 

 parts is exceedingly rare in collections, and I think has never 

 been fully described, even by American writers ! Audubon 

 (' Birds of America,' vol. vii. p. 209) had evidently heard of such 

 a plumage but not seen it, as he says : " Feeling pretty confident 

 that in summer the lower part of the body becomes pure black." 

 Dr. Elliot Coues (' Key to North American Birds,' p. 684) says, 

 "in high plumage perhaps mostly black," so that he had never 

 seen the bird, and probably only copied Audubon's indecisive 

 remarks. The only references I can find amongst British 

 writers are in Ussher's ' Birds of Ireland,' p. 170, and the late 

 John Cordeaux in 'British Birds, their Nests and Eggs,' vol. iv. 

 p. 591, who refers to a specimen in the collection of Mr. Gr. H. 

 Caton Haigh ; but both writers regarded these birds — which 

 were obtained from Ireland — as being A. albifrons. If Mr. 

 Ussher and Mr. Haigh will kindly examine their specimens, they 

 will probably find that they are of the large-billed race. 



