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The Blue-Winged Goose. 
T HIS Bird feemed to me to be rather lefs than the common Tame Goofe, 
Some of its Meafures are as follow : The Bill from its Point to the Angles of the 
Mouth is two Inches • and two and a Quarter from the Point to the Angles of the up- 
per Mandible, that fhoot into the Forehead above the Eyes; the Wing when clofed is 
lixteen Inches long ; the lower Part of the Leg, and the middle Toe, are of equal 
Length, viz. near three Inches each. 
The Bill is made as in other Geefe, and all over of a red Colour; the Feathers of 
the Forehead point a little Way down into the upper Part of the Bill, as they do 
more or lefs in moil: of the Goofe-kind. The Head, and the greateft Part of the 
Neck is White ; the Crown or Top of the Head appears yellowifh, as if finged; the 
Hinder-part of the Neck is fpotted with dark Brown or Blackifh. The lower Part 
of the Neck all round, the Breaft, Sides under the Wings, and Back, are of a dark- 
brown Colour, but it is fomething lighter and brighter colour’d on the Breaft. The 
greater Quills of the Wings are of a dufky or blackifh Colour, the inner ones that 
fall next the Back are of the fame Colour, but edged with Afh-Colour; the Co- 
vert-Feathers without Side of the Wings are of a light-blueifh Afh-Colour, as are 
thofe of the lower Part of the Back and Rump. The Tail is of a dark-brownifh 
Afh-Colour ; the Infides of the Wings and under Side of the Tail are Afh-colour’d. 
The Belly, Thighs, and Covert-Feathers under the Tail are White, a little clouded 
or fhaded with a dufky Colour. The Legs are bare of Feathers juft above the 
Knees; the three forward Toes are webbed together: It hath alfo a lateral Mem- 
brane within Side of the inner Toes, as I believe, all Geefe have; the Back-Toe is 
fmall, the Legs and Feet are all of a red Colour, the Claws Black. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon\-Bay by Mr. IJham, and I believe, hath ne- 
ver been defcribed. It is there a Bird of PafTage, continuing in that Country fo long as 
the Waters are unfrozen, and returning into Southern Countries when the Froft fhuts 
up its Subfiftance. My Friend, Mr. Light, has told me, there is a Goofe which 
comes in Summer to Hudfon’s-Bay, having its Forehead as it were fcorched with 
Heat, and that the Natives firmly believe, that thefe Geefe to avoid the Winter’s 
Cold, fiy toward the Sun, and approach fo near that it finges its Forehead againft 
his Orb. It is hard to convince thefe Savages that there are Climates on this Earth 
warmer than their own, to which Birds may fly for Food and Shelter during their 
rigid Winters. The above defcribed, I think, muft be the Bird of which the Na- 
tives hold this Opinion. 
tte 
