210 
THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 
The flight of the White-fronted is very similar to that of the Canada 
Goose, being firm and well sustained. When travelling, these birds pass at 
a considerable height, arranged in the same angular order, and apparently 
guided by one of the older Ganders. They walk with ease, and can run 
with considerable speed when wounded. In feeding they immerse their 
necks like other species ; but during continued rains they visit the cornfields 
and large savannahs. While in Kentucky they feed on the beech nuts and 
acorns that drop along the margins of their favourite ponds. In the fields 
they pick up the grains of maize left by the squirrels and racoons, and nibble 
the young blades of grass. In their gizzards I have never found fishes nor 
water lizards, but often broken shells of different kinds of snails. 
They leave us a fortnight sooner than the Canada Geese, and start along 
with the Snow Geese, but keep in separate flocks. In this order they have 
been observed travelling over the fur countries by Dr. Richardson, who 
informs us that they breed in the woody districts skirting Mackenzie’s 
river to the north of the sixty-seventh parallel, and also on the islands of the 
Arctic sea ; but that they are not common about Hudson’s bay. The egg of 
this Goose measures two inches and three-quarters in length, by one and 
three quarters in breadth. The shell is smooth, of a dull yellowish green, 
with indistinct patches of a darker tint of the same colour. 
Anser albifrons, Bonap. Syn., p. 3*76. 
Anser albifrons, Laughing Goose , Swains. andRich. F.Bor. Amer., vol. ii.p. 456 
White-fronted Goose, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 346. 
White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 568. 
Male, 274, 60. 
Through the interior of the Western and Southern States during winter, 
as well as along the coast, from Massachusetts to Texas. Columbia river, 
Breeds in the far north. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shorter than the head, much higher than broad at the base, somewhat 
conical, depressed towards the end, rounded at the tip. Upper mandible 
with the dorsal line sloping, the ridge broad and flattened, but slightly 
convex, the sides sloping, the edges with twenty-eight oblique lamellae, the 
unguis circular, convex, obscurely denticulate along the 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 man- 
dible nearly straight, with the angle very long and rather narrow, the edges 
soft and obtuse, with about forty oblique, slightly recurved lamellae. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long amd 
