Page [283]

SPECIES 2. INES IIYPERBOREJd.
                     SNOW GOOSE.
             [Plate LXVIII.-Fig. 5, Male.]
L'Oye de JVeige, Biuss. vi, p. 288. 10.-White Brant, LAWSON'S
  Carolina, P. 157.-drct. Zool. JXo. 477.-Phil. ßrans. 62, p.
  413.-LATH. Syn. iII, p. 445.--PEALE'S MUSeUm, JVo. 2635.*
  THIS bird is particularly deserving of the further investiga-
tion of naturalists; for, if I do not greatly mistake, English wri-
ters have, from the various appearances which this species as-
sumes 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 Laugnhing
Goose, the Bean Goose, and the Blute 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. t
  This species, called on the seacoast the Red Goose, arrives
in the river Delaware from the nortb, early in November, some-
times in considerable flocks, and is extremely noisy, their notes
being shriller and more squeaking than those of the Canada, 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 the breaking
up of the ice in March, they are frequently numerous along both
shores of the Delaware, about and below Reedy Island, particu-
  * Jias hyperborea, GMEL. Syst. I, p. 504, ANo. 54.-Ind. Orn. p. 837, So.
14.
-TEmmM. Xan. d' Orn pv 816.
  t This conjecture of our author is partly erroneous. The Snow Goose
and the Blue-winged Goose are synonymous; but the other two namped are
distinct species, the characters of which are well defined by late ornitholo-
gists.