THE GAME BREEDER 



141 



the law on owls. He told me they were 

 on the song-bird list and that I had bet- 

 ter not sell any, but if they caught my 

 birds I could kill them if they were kill- 

 ing my birds. I keep a few jump-traps 

 setting around the tarm and catch some 

 now and then and crack their heads. 



Illinois. G. H. Harris. 



[Those who have heard the tuneful owl in 

 the night readily can imagine how he was mis- 

 taken for a singer by the lawmakers. But as 

 Little Red Riding Hood would say, Oh, my 

 What big feet he has ! These are to catch 

 pheasants, quails and turkeys with. — Editor.] 



A New Wild Goose. 



Branta Eximo Dusetti. 



Geographical Distribution. Local. 

 Confined at present to one i;anch in 

 Michigan, U. S. A. Breeds throughout 

 its range, which promises soon to be 

 much extended. 



Adult. Head and neck black, possibly 

 with a slight greenish tinge by electric 



across the under tail feathers. Legs and 

 feet greenish gray (also by Yonkers elec- 

 tric light, not very good at the time, 

 probably due to coal shortage). Bill 

 black. Eyes shot out in specimen (prob- 

 ably with No. 6 shot), so no color of 

 iris can be given. 



Total length 38 inches ; wing 19 ; tar- 

 sus 3 ; culmen 2 ; weight 9>4 pounds. 

 Bully on the table when roasted and 

 served, as he was, with cranberry sauce. 



Douny young. Probably yellowish 

 gray. This is a mere guess. No speci- 

 men available for description. Eggs not 

 in season at this time of the year, prob- 

 ably similar to those of Branta Cana- 

 densis. 



This new wild goose (sent to me for 

 identification and for my dinner) is a 

 most valuable addition to our family, the 

 Anatidse. I have described it from the 

 single specimen forwarded by the inven- 

 tor and breedeer. Express prepaid 

 (thanks). Possibly it should be listed 









light (we looked him over at night just 

 before he went to the kitchen to be 

 plucked) ; a triangular patch of silvery 

 white on each cheek extending across the 

 throat (suggesting our common wild 

 goose, Branta Canadensis, in his make- 

 up or ancestry) ; upper parts dark 

 brown, the feathers tipped with light 

 yellowish brown ; primaries and rump 

 dark brown ; tail black ; lower parts gray- 

 ish brown ; anal region white ; upper tail 

 coverts white with lines of dark brown 

 at tips of feathers and small dark lines 



as a Near-Branta on account of its 

 habit of breeding in a near wild State 

 and its resemblance to Branta Canaden- 

 sis, our common wild goose, from which, 

 however, it is easily distinguished. This 

 goose is said to be fairly strong on the 

 wing and a good sporting proposition. 

 Probably its speed can be tuned up by 

 a cross with Branta Canadensis or with 

 Philacte Canagica, Branta Bernicla, or 

 any old wild goose, all of which are 

 speedy. A cross with Anser Fabalis, the 

 Bean Goose, would seem desirable since 



