SNOW GOOSE. 
]01 
bestowed on one of its varieties, though it might with as much 
propriety have been named the grinning goose. 
The specimen from which the above figure and description 
was taken, was shot on the Delaware, below Philadelphia, on 
the 15th of February, and on dissection proved to be a male; 
the windpipe had no labyrinth, but, for an inch or two before its 
divarication into the lungs, was inflexible, not extensile, like the 
rest, and rather wider in diameter. The gullet had an expan- 
sion before entering the stomach, which last was remarkably 
strong, the two great grinding muscles being nearly five inches 
in diameter. The stomach was filled with fragments of the 
roots of reeds, and fine sand. The intestines measured eight 
feet in length, and were not remarkably thick. The liver was 
small. For the young and female of this species, see plate 
Ixix., fig. 5. 
Latham observes that this species is very numerous at Hud- 
son’s Bay, that they visit Severn- River in May, and stay a 
fortnight, but go farther north to breed ; they return to Severn 
Fort the beginning of September, and stay till the middle of 
October, when they depart for the south, and are observed to 
be attended by their young in flocks innumerable. They seem 
to occupy also the western side of America, as they were seen 
at Aoonalashka,* as well as Kamtschatka.f White brant, 
with black tips to their wings, were also shot by Captains Lewis 
and Clark’s exploring party, near the mouth of the Columbia 
River, which were probably the same as the present species.J 
Mr Pennant says, ‘‘ they are taken by the Siberians in nets, 
under which they are decoyed by a person covered with a 
white skin, and crawling on all-fours ; when others driving 
them, these stupid birds mistaking him for their leader, follow 
him, when they are entangled in the nets, or led into a kind 
of pond made for the purpose !” We might here with pro- 
priety add — this wants confirmation, 
* Ellis’s Narfative. f History of Kamtschatka. 
\ Gxss's Journal, p. 161. 
