468 
L AMELLIROS TEAL SWIMMEES — ANSERES. 
rump. Breast, abdomen, sides, and flanks much like the upper parts, but the light tips to the 
feathers whiter, broader, and more conspicuous ; anal region and crissum immaculate snow-white. 
Wing, 12.30 inches; culmen, 1.20 ; tarsus, 2.05 ; middle toe, 1.70. Young (No. 12786, Washing- 
ton, D. C., December, 1858 ; C. Drexler) : Similar to the adult, but the wing-coverts and sec- 
ondaries broadly tipped with pure white, forming very conspicuous bars. Lower parts paler and 
more uniform ; white on middle of the neck reduced to small specks. 
Two adult specimens from Europe differ from any in a series of four American skins (adults), 
in larger size and slightly paler colors ; the differences are so slight, however, that they probably 
would not prove constant, if more examples were compared. Indeed, a third European specimen, 
labelled (by Schluter) “ holier Norden,” is nearly as dark everywhere as B. nigricans, and would 
be instantly referred to that species, were it not for the white neck-patches, which are exactly 
as in typical brenta — that is, widely separated in front, as well as behind. It may be a hybrid 
between the two. 
The Common Brant Goose has an almost cosmopolitan distribution. In the summer 
it retires to very high northern latitudes to breed, and in the autumn and winter 
wanders over large portions of both the Old and the New World. It is found in all 
the high Arctic regions of Asia and Europe, and in North America east of the Ilocky 
Mountains. In the western portions of America it is replaced by B. nigricans, a 
closely allied form. It is almost unknown in the interior. A single example taken 
on Lake Michigan, near Racine, by Dr. Hoy, is the only exception, so far as I know. 
Hearne was convinced that this bird must breed in the remote north, as it sel- 
dom appeared at Churchill River until September. Its route in the spring was 
unknown, nor did any of the Hudson’s Bay Indians know of its breeding-place. It 
always came from the north in its visits to Churchill River, flew near the margin of 
the coast, and was never seen in the interior. Its flesh, although delicate to the eye, 
was not much esteemed as food. In some years birds of this species passed the 
mouth of Churchill River in incredible numbers. In their movements south they 
usually availed themselves of a strong northerly or northwesterly wind ; and this 
made their flight so swift, that once, when Mr. Hearne killed four or five at a single 
shot, they all fell from twenty to fifty yards beyond the place where they were hit. 
When in large flocks they are known to fly, in the manner of the Snow Goose, in the 
form of a wedge, and to make a great noise. Their flight is irregular, sometimes 
being forty or fifty yards above the water, and yet, an instant later, they may be seen 
skimming close to its surface, then again they will rise to a considerable height ; so 
that by some they are said to “ fly in festoons.” 
According to Richardson, this species breeds on the shores and among the islands 
of the Arctic Sea, and keeps near the sea-coast in its migrations. It is rarely, if ever, 
seen in the interior. As no mention is made among the records of the Smithsonian 
Institution of this Goose being known to breed on the coast of the Arctic Sea, 
Richardson may have been mistaken in this supposition. He mentions its feeding- 
on mollusca, the Viva lactuca, and other marine plants — chiefly upon the latter, 
from which its flesh acquires a strong flavor. It is said to leave its breeding-quarters 
in September. 
Dr. Bessels includes this species among the birds procured on the “ Polaris ” Ex- 
pedition (“Bulletin de la Societe de Geographie,” March, 1875); and Mr. Eeilden 
(“ Ibis,” October, 1877) also includes it among the birds procured in the British Arc- 
tic Expedition of 1875-1876, and supplies the following interesting note : “During 
the first week of June, parties of these birds arrived in the vicinity of our winter- 
quarters (lat. 82° 27' N.) ; for some days they continued flying up and down the 
coast-line, evidently looking out for places bare of snow to feed on. They were very 
