ANSERINE — THE GEESE — BERNICLA. 
473 
shaw informed me tliat lie lias seen a single specimen of it in the Boston market ; 
and there is, Mr. Lawrence informs me, a line specimen in the museum of the Long 
Island Historical Society which was obtained on that island. It is rare in the 
interior, but Captain Bendire mentions its occasional occurrence in Eastern Oregon. 
Mr. B. Browne includes it in his list of the birds of Vancouver Island. He men- 
tions having seen one of these Geese, apparently quite tame, stalking about the 
ITnchaltaw Indian village in Discovery Passage, in March, 1866. It is known as the 
Nulla by the Quakwoltlis, who also had a tame one in the village at Fort Rupert. 
According to Dr. Cooper, this species appears to resort, in winter, only to salt- 
water bays. Dr. Suckley found it exceedingly abundant near the Straits of Euca at 
that season, and occurring more sparingly about the mouths of Other bays as far 
south as San Diego, where, in the winter of 1861-1862, Dr. Cooper saw these birds 
in large numbers. They appeared in October, and remained until April 20, the spring 
being much more backward, and their departure taking place probably as much as 
two weeks later than usual. He saw no other species in company with them during 
the whole winter, though others were common on the prairies at some distance inland. 
They appeared to feed almost entirely on the leaves and roots of the marine grass 
(zostera) which abounds in that bay. Dr. Cooper supposes that they also feed on 
small fish and shells, as they acquire a somewhat fishy, though not a disagreeable, 
flavor. They were exceedingly wild, and flew so high that he only succeeded in pro- 
curing a single specimen. Their note is said to be a croaking cry, much less strong 
than that of the other species. Dr. Cooper never saw any in the San Francisco 
market, birt he met with them about and outside of the Bay, in 1863, as late as 
the 24th of April ; and he has every reason to believe that large numbers frequent 
the fields of kelp which line the coast and extend out some miles from the shore. 
Mr. Kennicott, in a note dated Fort Yukon, May 19, refers to procuring three 
specimens of this bird, known in that region as the “ Eskimo Goose.” He states 
that it arrives there the latest of all the birds, and after nearly all the other Geese 
have passed. It flies in large flocks, and very rapidly. The three specimens were 
the first noticed that season, and the only ones killed, although two dozen or more 
flocks of from twenty-five to fifty were seen in all ; but in no comparison, in point of 
numbers, with the other four species. This bird is said to j>ass La Pierre House in 
immense numbers both in spring and fall. 
Mr. Dali states that this Goose arrives in immense flocks in the spring along the 
sea-coast, and he shot one at Nulato, May 29, 1868 ; but it was regarded as being 
a very rare visitor on the Yukon. It passes Fort Yukon in the spring, as it does 
St. Michael’s, being present only a few days, and breeding only on the shores of the 
Arctic Sea. Mr. Dali was informed that this species is not found at Fort Yukon in 
the fall. He killed one at Unalaktak, Sept. 28, 1867, on the edge of the ice in a 
small stream ; and mentions that he uniformly found this Goose lean, tough, and of 
a disagreeable flavor. It is also very shy. The few that appear in Norton Sound in 
the fall are the last of the Geese, except the “ Emperor Goose ” ( Philacte canagica). 
Mr. Bannister mentions that he was told that this bird was far less abundant 
than usual at St. Michael’s the season he was there, when only a few were killed. 
It arrived there the 12th of May, almost the last of all the migratory birds ; and 
was observed Sept. 23, 1865, on its return. It is said to come usually in immense 
flocks, and to afford more profitable sport for a few days than all the other species 
put together. The flight of the main body of these migratory birds is along the 
western edge of St. Michael’s Island, touching Stewart’s Island, and then proceeding 
directly northward, across the open sea toward Golovin Sound. 
vol. i. — 60 
