466 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



[225.] 1. Anser albifrons. (Bechst.) Laughing Goose. 



Sub-family, Anserinse, Swains. Genus, Anser, Auct.* 

 The laughing goose. Edwards, pi. 153. 



White fronted goose. Pens. Arct. ZooL, ii., p. 548, No. 47C. 

 Oie rieuse ou a front Wane (Anas albifrons). Tejim., ii., p. 821. 

 Anser albifrons. Bonap. Syn., p. 370, No. 310. 

 Sasassquae-pethesew. Cree Indians. 



This Goose passes, at the same time or a little later than the Snow Goose, 

 through the interior of the fur countries in large flocks to its breeding places, 

 which are in the woody districts skirting the Mackenzie to the north of the 

 sixty-seventh parallel, and also the islands of the Arctic Sea. It is not common 

 on the coast of Hudson's Bay. The Indians imitate its call by patting the 

 mouth with their hand, while they repeat the syllable wah. The resemblance of 

 this note to the laugh of a man has given the trivial name to the species. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Colour. — Head and neck pale greyish-brown. Dorsal plumage clove-brown, with paler 

 edges ; secondaries tipped with white ; primaries greyish-black, with white shafts. Front, 

 region of the bill, eyelids, tail-coverts, and all the under plumage white, the belly blotched 

 with deep black. Bill and feet orange ; tip of the former flesh-coloured. — A specimen 

 killed on the 17th of May at Fort Enterprise, had all the belly light wood-brown blotched 

 with black. 



Form. — Bill as long as the head, its depth at the base two thirds of its length ; commissure 

 curved and gaping, permitting the teeth to appear in the middle. Five or six rows of teeth 

 on the palate. Wings : third quill the longest. 









Dimensions. 













Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. Lin. 



igth, total 



27 







Length of bill above 



2 



4 



Length of middle toe 



2 2 



,, of tail 











„ of bill to rictus 



. 2 



44 



„ of its nail 



5 



,, of wing 



. 10 







„ of tarsus . 



2 



7.§ 



Extent of wing 



. 54 

 — R. 



* As we have not yet analysed and determined the sub-genera or types of form, we shall make no attempt to desig- 

 nate them from theory alone. — Sw. 



