194 
THE CANADA GOOSE. 
Canada Goose, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 349. 
Canada Goose, Anser canadensis , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 1; vol. v. p. 607. 
Male, 43, 65. Female, 41. 
Breeds sparingly from the Mississippi to Nova Scotia ; abundantly in 
Labrador, and farther north. In the interior, on the Missouri, and across 
to the Columbia river. Abundant. Migrates far south in winter. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shorter than the head, rather higher than broad at the base, somewhat 
conical, depressed toward the end, rounded at the tip. Upper mandible 
with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge broad and flattened, the sides sloping, 
the edges soft and obtuse, the oblique marginal lamellae short, transverse, 
about thirty on each side ; the unguis obovate, convex, denticulate on the 
inner edge. Nasal groove oblong, parallel to the ridge, filled by the soft 
membrane of the bill; nostrils medial, lateral, longitudinal, narrow-elliptical, 
open, pervious. Lower mandible straight, with the angle very long, narrow, 
and rounded, the edges soft and obtuse, with about thirty oblique lamellae on 
a perpendicular plane. 
Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck long and slender. Body full, 
slightly depressed. Feet short, stout, placed behind the centre of the body ; 
legs bare a little above the tibio-tarsal joint; tarsus short, a little compressed, 
covered all round with angular reticulated scales, which are smaller behind; 
hind toe very small, with a narrow membrane ; third toe longest, fourth a 
little shorter, but longer than second ; all the toes reticulated above at the 
base, but with narrow transverse scutella towards the end; the three anterior 
connected by a reticulated membrane, the outer with a thick margin, the 
inner with the margin extended into a two-lobed web ; claws small, arched, 
rather compressed, except that of the middle toe, which is bent obliquely 
outwards and depressed, with a curved edge. Wings of moderate length, 
with an obtuse protuberance at the flexure. 
Plumage close, rather short, compact above, blended on the neck and 
lower parts of the body. The feathers of the head and neck very narrow, 
of the back very broad and abrupt, of the breast and belly broadly rounded. 
Wings, when closed, extending to about an inch from the end of the tail, 
acute ; primaries very strong, curved, the second longest, the third slightly 
shorter, the first almost as long as the third, the rest rapidly graduated ; 
secondaries long, rather narrow, rounded. Tail very short, rounded, of 
eighteen stiff, rounded, but acuminate, feathers. 
Bill, feet, and claws black. Iris chestnut-brown. Head and two upper 
thirds of the neck glossy black ; forehead, cheeks, and chin tinged with 
brown ; lower eyelid white ; a broad band of the same across the throat to 
