ZOOLOGY. 
249 
winter of 1853- 54, I noticed immense flocks of swans, apparently of this species, collected 
along the shores of the river mentioned, and spread out along the margin of the water for a 
distance varying from an eighth to a quarter of a mile. 
I obtained a fine trumpeter swan on Pike lake, Minnesota, in June, 1853. They are quite 
common on the lakes in that vicinity in summer, breeding and raising their young.—S. 
The trumpeter swan associates, with the preceding species at the same season and in the 
same places. Both arrive from the north in the beginning of December, but I have not had 
an opportunity of noticing their departure. Swans are said to be rare visitors near San 
Fran cisco.—C. 
Sub-Family ANSERINAE.—T h e Geese. 
ANSER HYPERBOREUS, Pallas. 
Snow Goose. 
Anser hyperboreus, Pallas, Spic. Zool. YI, 1767, 80, 25.—Sw. F. B A. II, 1831, 467 — Nutt. Man. II, 344.— Aud. 
Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 562; pi. 381.— Ib. Syn. 273. -Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843,212; pi. 381.— Cassin, 
Pr. A. N. S. VIII, 1856, 11.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 760. 
Anas hyperborea, Gm. I, 504.— Wils. Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 76; pi. lxviii and Ixix. 
Sp. Ch. — Adult: Bill and legs red. Color pure white. Primary quills black towards the end, silvery bluish gray towards 
the base, where the shafts are white. The spurious quills are also bluish. Inside of wings, except primary quills, white. Im¬ 
mature birds have the head washed with rusty. 
Snow geese were seen by me moderately abundant on the shores of Clark’s Fork of the 
Columbia and its branches during my canoe voyage from the St. Mary’s valley (Rocky 
mountains) to Fort Yancouver in 1853. They were much more tame than the brant or other 
geese I have seen; so much so that myself and party had several shots at a small flock, which 
we approached so near that I killed a fine individual with my revolver. 
I obtained a very good specimen at Fort Steilacoom in December, 1856, where it is not 
uncommon during the cold months.—S. 
The snow goose occasionally stops on the sand bars and prairies along the coast, but the 
greater part of them seem to go on directly to the plains of California, where they abound in 
winter. 
Geese were seen in August by some of our party on the summit of the Cascade mountains, 
where they probably breed, in company with ducks, shell-drakes, and cranes. I did not find 
out which were the species observed.—C. 
ANSER GAMBELII, Hartlaub. 
White Fronted Goose; Laughing Goose. 
Anser albifrons,<3w. F. B. A. II, 1831,456. Not of Gmelin.— Nutt. Man. II, 346.— Aud. Orn. Biog. 111,1835,568; 
pi. 280.— Ib. Syn. 272.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 209 ; pi. 380. 
Anser gambelii, Hartlaub, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1852, 7.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 761. . 
Sp. Ch. —Tail of sixteen feathers. Bill and legs red. Along sides of bill and forehead white,margined behind with blackish 
brown. Rest of head and neck grayish brown, becoming pale on the jugulum. Back bluish gray,the feathers anteriorly tipped 
with brown; the sides similarly colored. The breast and belly grayish white,blotched irregularly with black; the anal region, 
sides behind, and beneath the tail, with the upper coverts, white. The secondary quills and ends of primaries are dark brown; 
the remaining portion of primaries and the covert silvery ash. The shafts of quills white. Greater coverts edged with white. 
Tail feathers brown, tipped with white. Axillars and under surface of wings ashy plumbeous. Length, 28 inches; wing, 16.30; 
tarsus, 2.88; commissure, 2.04. 
Hab. —Whole of North America. 
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