19G 
THE CANADA A^^D WHITE-FACED GEESE. 
the beginning of April. Its habits are similar to those of 
the other species, with which it is often confounded — the 
name ^Yild Goose being indiscriminately applied to all. 
This is the bird which is said to have had a share, at least, 
in producing the Domestic Goose. 
The Canada Goose {Anse?^ Canadensis), sometimes called 
the Cravat Goose, on account of a clearly-defined white 
patch, which extends from the throat up the sides of the 
head, distinguishing this from all other species of the genus 
A7ise7\ In its form, and especially the elongation of the 
neck, this bird resembles the Swan. It is of large size, 
measuring forty-two inches in length. Excej)ting the 
patch above named, the head, with two-thirds of the neck, 
is all of a glossy black. The upper parts of the body are 
greyish broAvn ; lower parts greyish white- The abdomen 
is pure white, and the legs and feet black ; for the rest, ash 
grey and brown of different shades prevail, and produce a 
very beautiful and harmonious ensemble. This bird weighs 
from ten to twelve, and sometimes as much as fourteen 
pounds — a heavy weight for a pair of wings to bear all the 
way from the extremest north of the American Continent. 
It is only as an occasional straggler that it visits these 
islands, where, however, many specimens have been taken, 
some of them having probably escaped from confinement — 
the bird being not uncommonly kept to improve the do- 
mestic breed, on account of its large size. 
The White-faced Bernacle Goose {Aiise?^ or Be rnicla, 
leiicopsis), sometimes called the White-cheeked, or Land 
Bernacle, the Claikis, Clakis, or Claick Goose. This is the 
A nser Bernicla of Linnaeus, and is one of those species which 
may equally claim the benefit, such as it is, of the popular 
belief of their having been produced from barnacles, those 
curious shell-fish, like snakes, with plumed helmets, which 
may sometimes be seen covering the surface of timber which 
has been for a time submerged in the ocean. The old 
natural historian, Aristotle, describes the process of growth 
of these anomalous sea-birds, the springing of the downy 
plumes from between the shelly covering at the extremity 
