SNOW GOOSE. 493 



SNOW GOOSE. {Anas hyperborea.) 



PLATE LXVIIL-Fig. 5, Male. 



L'Oye de Neige, Briss. vi. p. 288, 10. — White Brant, Laivson's Carolina, p. 157. 

 — Arct. Zool, No. 111.— Phil. Trans. 62, p. 413.— Lath. Syn. iii. p. 445.— 

 Peale's Museum, No. 2635. 



ANSEB HYPBBBOBjEUS.—Bosavatxte. 

 Anser hyperboreus, Bonap. Si/no??. p. 376. — Worth. Zool. ii. p. 467. 



This bird is particularly deserving of the further investigation 

 of naturalists ; for, if I do not greatly mistake, English writers 

 have, from the various appearances which this species assumes 

 in its progress to perfect plumage, formed no less than four 

 different kinds, which they describe as so many distinct species, 

 viz., the snow goose, the luliite-f routed or laughing goose, the 

 oean goose, and the blue-ivinged goose, all of which, I have 

 little doubt, will hereafter be found to be nothing more than 

 perfect and imperfect individuals, male and female, of the 

 snow goose, now before us.* 



This species, called on the sea-coast the red goose, arrives 

 in the river Delaware from the north early in November, 

 sometimes in considerable flocks, and is extremely noisy, their 

 notes being shriller and more squeaking than those of the 

 Canada or common wild goose. On their first arrival they 

 make but a short stay, proceeding, as the depth of winter 

 approaches, farther to the south ; but from the middle of 

 February until the breaking up of the ice in March, they are 

 frequently numerous along both shores of the Delaware about 

 and below Eeedy Island, particularly near Old Duck Creek, 



* Mr Ord, in Ms reprint, adds the following note : — " This conjecture 

 of onr author is partly erroneous. The snow goose and the blue-winged 

 goose are synonymous ; but the other two named are distinct species, 

 the characters of which are well defined by late ornithologists." 



The blue-winged goose is our present bird in immature plumage, 

 which they are said to retain for three years. The two other birds have 

 since been added to the American Fauna. The young bird is described 

 page 12 of the third volume. — Ed. 



