SNOW GOOSE. 
99 
SNOW GOOSE ANAS HYPERBOREA Plate LXVIII. Fig. 5. 
Male. ^ 
L’oye de Neige, Briss. vi, p. 288. 10. — White Brant, Lawson's CaroZtwa, p. 157. — 
Arct, Zool. No. 477. — Phil. Trans. 62. p. 413. — Lath. Syn. iii. p. 445.-— 
Peak's Museum^ No. 2635. 
ANSER HYPERBOREt/S.— Bonaparte. 
Anser hyperboreus, Bonap. Synop. p. 376.— Zool. ii. p. 467. 
This bird is particularly deserving of tbe farther investi- 
gation of naturalists ; for, if I do not greatly mistake, English 
writers have, from the various appearances which this species 
assumes in its progress to perfect plumage, formed no less than 
four different kinds, which they describe as so many distinct 
species, viz. the snow goose^ the white-fronted^ or laughing goose^ 
the hean goose^ and the hlue-winged goose^ all of which, I have 
little doubt, will hereafter be found to be nothing more than 
perfect and imperfect individuals, male and female, of the 
snow goose, now before us.^ 
This species, called on the sea-coast the red goose, arrives 
in the River Delaware, from the north, early in November, 
sometimes in considerable flocks, and is extremely noisy, their 
notes being shriller and more squeaking than those of the Ca- 
nada, or common wild-goose. On their first arrival, they make 
but a short stay, proceeding, as the depth of winter approaches, 
farther to the south ; but from the middle of February, until 
* Mr Ord, in his reprint, adds the following note : — “ This conjecture of our 
author is partly erroneous. The snow goose, and the blue-winged goose, are 
synonymous ; but the other two named, are distinct species, the characters of 
which are well defined by late ornithologists.” 
The blue- winged goose is our present bird, in immature plumage, which they 
are said to retain for three years. The two other birds have since been added to the 
American Fauna. The young bird is described, page 112 of this volume. — Ed.: 
