290 LAUGHING GOOSE. 



returned, it preferred roosting in the garden, though it resumed its 

 place at the chimney corner the ensuing winter. Instead of being 

 afraid of its two old acquaintances, the dog and the cat, it now 

 treated them as inferiors, and arrogated to itself the place which it had 

 previously obtained by humble solicitation. This interesting pet was 

 at last choked by a bone which it had incautiously swallowed.* 1 



Its note has given rise to one of its common names, as it resembles 

 the word pe-wit ; the name of Lapwing has also been given from the 

 constant napping of its wings in flight. 



LARIDiE (Leach.) — Gulls, a family of swimming birds (Nata- 

 tores, Illiger.) 



LARKS (Alaudina, Vigors.) — *A group of the Finch family 

 (FringillidcB, Vigors.)* 



LARUS (Auctores) — * Gull, a genus thus characterised. Bill 

 long or middle sized, strong, hard, compressed, cutting, curved towards 

 the point, the under mandible forming a saliant angle. Nostrils at 

 the sides, in the middle of the bill, slit lengthwise, straight, pierced 

 from part to part. Legs slender, naked to the knee ; shank long ; 

 three toes before, wholly webbed ; the hind toe free, short, and jointed 

 high upon the shank. Tail with the feathers of equal length ; wings 

 long, the first quill almost of equal length with the second.* 

 LAUGHING GOOSE (Anser erythropus, Fleming.) 



* Anas albifrons, Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 509 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 842. 27,— Temm. 



Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 821 Anser erythropus, Flem. Br. Anim. 8. p. 127. — Anas ery- 

 thropus, Faun. Suec. No. 116. (fem.) — Anser septentrionalis Sylvester, Briss. 



6. p. 269. 3 — lb. 8vo. 2. p. 433 Anas casarca, S. G. Gmel. Reis.2.p. 177.— 



L'Oie rieuse, Buff. Ois. 9. p. 81 Laughing Goose, Edw. t. 153 — White- 

 fronted Goose, Br. Zool. 2. No. 268. t. 94. 1 lb. fol. 150 Arct.Zool. 2. No. 



476 — Lath. Syn. 6. p. 463. 22 Lewin's Br. Birds, 7. t. 240 — Pult. Cat. 



Dorset, p. 20 Wale. Syn. 1. t. 64.— Don. Br. Birds, 5. t. 102 — Mont. Orn. 



Diet. 



Provincial. — Bald Goose.* 

 This is rather less than the common Goose ; is said to weigh some- 

 times as much as seven pounds. The bird now before us is of the 

 general size, and was only four pounds, four ounces ; but it should be 

 remembered, that great allowance is to be made in the weight of birds, 

 as it depends on their condition, and whether the stomach is full or 

 empty. The length twenty-nine inches. The bill is flesh-coloured, 

 with an orange spot on the top, at the base between the nostrils ; the 

 nail white ; irides dusky. The feathers round the base of the bill are 

 white, running some way on the forehead, bounded by dusky brown ; 

 the head, neck, and upper parts, dark brown ; the upper part of the 



1 Antoine, Animaux Celebres, i. p. 70. 



