SNOW GOOSE. 127 



A}2as liyperhorea, Gmelin; 1788. Latham; 1790. 



Temminck; 1820. 

 Clien liyperhorea, BoiE. 



Ore cle neige ord'maire, Of the French. 

 Oemeine Schneegans, Of the GtEkmans. 



Wevois or Wavy, Of the Amekicans. 



Specific Characters. — Forehead much elevated; the sides of 

 the beak divided by longitudinal furrows and toothlets. — Tem- 

 minck. 



Length thirty-two inches; carpus to tip sixteen inches and a 

 half; bill two inches three lines; tarsus three inches. — ]N"uttall. 



In tlie far-ofF northern regions of tlie earthy where 

 snow-covered ground, whether of hill or vale, is the 

 rale of nature; in the bleak and inhospitable wastes 

 of the arctic circle — there it has pleased Providence to 

 locate the bird which is the subject of the present 

 notice. And not more purely white is that eternal 

 snow than, save and except the tips of the wings, is 

 that of this bird's plumage; presenting us with another 

 example of adaptation of colour to that of the creature's 

 home, and of the provision and forethought which has 

 been made and shewn for that creature's protection. 



The Snow Goose is an inhabitant of the northern 

 parts of America and Asia, straying accidentally into 

 the interior of Europe, or passing through its eastern 

 parts in its migrations to and from the south. It has 

 occurred in Russia, on the shores of the Caspian and 

 Black Seas, and in the Crimea. It is included among 

 the visitors to Greece by Count Miihle and Dr. 

 Lindermayer. Degland records an instance of its capture 

 in the winter of 1829, in the neighbourhood of Aries; 

 but this was a young subject, and, as we shall presently 

 see, probably a distinct species. Temminck says it 



