BIRDS AN SERIN AE — ANSER GAMBELII. 
761 
f Young. Head and upper part of neck white ; lower part of neck to the wings dark brown, passing on the sides of body into a 
more ashy shade ; rest of under parts, concealed portions of the back, rump, and upper coverts, white. The entire scapular and 
scapular region is ashy brown, each feather with faint reddish brown margin. The upper surface of the wing is of a clear silvery 
ash, but passing into dark brown on the ends of the quills. The coverts, secondaries, tertials, and scapulars, edged with white. 
Length about 30 inches; wing, 16.40; tarsus, 3.12; commissure, 2.10. 
Hub. — Whole of North America. 
It is quite probable that, as Mr. Cassin suggests, the supposed young bird, as described above, 
is really distinct from tbe wbite bird, but in the absence of positive facts in the case I do not 
feel at liberty to separate the two, especially as Mr. Audubon asserts positively that a gray or 
bluish specimen in possession of Dr. Bachman became white. 
I have not the means of testing the validity of Mr. Cassin's new Anser albatus, which is said 
to differ from the common species in smaller size, shorter bill, &c. In the very great variations 
of size and proportions in the geese I can scarcely believe that the grounds of distinction as 
announced are sufficient in the present case to make two species. 
The name caerulescens has priority of date over hyperboreus , and if the species are the same 
should be used, but for the fact that the adult bird is not bluish, but white, thus conveying a 
false impression respecting it. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. No. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Collected by- 
1211 
4527 
United States 
San Francisco.. 
Puget's Sound 
Northwest coast of Aineri 
in.risn, 
Missouri river. 
S. P. Baird 
Lieut. Williamson 
Dr. Suckley 
United States Exploring Expedition. 
Dr. Newberry. 
J. J. Audubon 
ANSEE GAMBELII, Hartlaub. 
White Fronted Goose; Laughing Goose. 
Anser albifrons, Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 456. Not of Gmelin.— Nutt. Man. II, 346.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 568; 
pi. 260.— Ib. Syn. 272.— Ib. Birds Anier. VI, 1843, 209; pi. 380. 
Anser gambelii, Hartlaub, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1852, 7. 
Sp. Ch. — Tail of sixteen feathers. Bill and legs red. Along sides of bill and forehead white, margined behind with blackish 
brown. Rest of head and neck grayish brown, becoming pale on the jugulum. Back bluish gray, the feathers anteriorly 
tipped with brown; the sides similarly colored. The breast aud belly grayish white, blotched irregularly with black; the anal 
region, sides behind, and beneath the tail, with the upper coverts, white. The secondary quills and ends of primaries are dark 
brown ; the remaining portion of primaries and the covert silvery ash. The shafts of quills white. Greater coverts edged with 
white. Tail feathers brown, tipped with white. Axillars and under surface of wings ashy plumbeous. Length 28 inches ; wing, 
16.30; tarsus, 2.88; commissure, 2.04. 
llab. — Whole of North America. 
A specimen from New Mexico is smaller, with the nail of bill narrower. Another from El 
Paso (104G3) has the under parts grayish, with only a trace of black in three or four feathers. 
August 12, 1858. 
% b 
