50 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
ish. Adult plumage pure white, the head usually washed with rusty-brown, like a 
swan’s, the ends of the primaries blackening. Young resembling the last, but the 
head not white, while other parts are colored. Large: length, 27.00—31.00; extent, 
57.00—62.00 ; * * * weight 5 or 6 pounds.”— Coue's Key N. A. B. 
Habitat .—North America, breeding far north, and migrating south in winter, 
chiefly along the Atlantic coast, reaching Cuba. 
Rare and irregular visitor in the early spring, late fall, and in winter. 
Specimens have been taken in Pennsylvania by Dr. John W. Detwilier 
of Bethlehem, Pa., and Prof. H. Justin Roddy of Millersville, Pa. 
Genus BRANTA Scopoli. 
Branta canadensis (Linn.). 
Canada Goose. 
Description (Plate 64 ). 
“ Tail of eighteen feathers ; head, neck, bill and feet, deep-black ; a large triangular i 
patch of white on the cheeks behind the eye ; the two of opposite sides broadly con¬ 
fluent beneath, but not extending to the rami of lower jaw ; a few whitish feathers i 
on lower eyelid ; upper parts brown, edged with paler; under parts light, with a 
tinge of purple-gray, sometimes a shade of smoky brown ; the edges of the feathers 
paler ; the color of the body of the feathers, though similar, becoming deeper on the 
sides, tibia, axillars, and inside of wings ; the gray of the belly passes gradually into 
white on the anal region and under coverts ; the upper tail coverts are pure-white ; 
the primary quills and rump are very dark blackish-brown ; the tail feathers are 
black ; iris brown. 
“Length, 35 inches; wing, 18; tarsus, 3.10; commissure, 2.10 inches.”— Baird*s 
Birds of N. A. 
Habitat .—Temperate North America, breeding in the northern United States and 
British Provinces ; south in winter to Mexico. 
This well-known bird, usually called Wild Goose, is a common spring 
and fall migrant in Pennsylvania. 
In referring to this species, Wilson says : “ The flight of the Wild 
Geese is heavy and laborious, generally in a straight line, or in two 
lines, approximating to a point thus, > : In both cases the van is led 
by an old gander, who, every now and then, pipes his well known honk , 
as if to ask how they come on ; and the honk ot ‘ A1 1 ’s well 5 is generally 
returned by some of the party. Their course is in a straight line, with 
the exception of the undulations of their flight. IVhen bewildered in 
f^§toy weather,, they appear sometimes to be in great distress, flying 
about in an irregular manner, and for a considerable time over the same 
quarter, making a great clamor. On these occasions, should they ap¬ 
proach the earth and alight—which they sometimes do to rest and rec¬ 
ollect themselves—the only hospitality they meet with is death and de¬ 
struction from a whole neighborhood already in arms for their ruin.” 
The food of this species consists chiefly of vegetable materials, such 
as cereals, the seeds, roots and other portions of plants. 
