I 
BRITISH BIRDS, 305 
WHITE-FRONTED WILD GOOSE, 
OR LAUGHING GOOSE. 
{^Anas alMfrons. — UOye rieufe, BufF.) 
This fpecies meafures two feet four inches in 
length, and four feet fix in the extended wings, 
and weighs about five pounds. The bill is thick at 
the bafe, of a yellowifli red colour ; the nail white : 
from the bafe of the bill and corners of the mouth, 
a white patch is extended over the forehead : the 
reft of the head, neck, and upper parts of the plu- 
mage are dark brown : the primary and fecondary 
quills are of the fame colour, but much darker ; and 
the wing coverts are tinged with afh : the breaft 
and belly are dirty white, fpotted with dufky ; the 
tail is of a hoary afh-coloured brown, and furround- 
ed, like the Lag Goofe’s, with a white ring at the 
bafe : the legs yellow. 
Thefe birds form a part of thofe vaft tribes 
which fwarm about Hudfon’s Bay, and the north of 
Europe and Afia, during the fummer months, and 
are but thinly fcattered over the other quarters of 
the world. They vifit the fens and marfhy places 
in England, in fmall flocks, in the winter months, 
and difappear about the beginning of March. It is 
faid that they never feed on the corn-fields, but con- 
fine themfelves wholly to fuch wilds and fwamps as 
are conflantly covered with water. 
VoL. II. t O q 
