e.]
[Illustration: Ruddy Duck. Masked Duck.]
[Illustration: deco.]
[Illustration: left hand margin.]

Page 107

169. SNOW GOOSE. _Chen hyperboreus hyperboreus._

Range.--North America west of the Mississippi Valley, breeding in
northern Alaska and the MacKenzie River district.

This smaller species of the Snow Goose nests on islands in rivers along
the arctic coast. The nest is a depression in the ground, lined with
grasses and, occasionally down. They lay from four to eight eggs of a
buffy or yellowish white color. Size 2.75 x 1.75.

169a. GREATER SNOW GOOSE. _Chen hyperboreus nivalis._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding in the Arctic regions and
wintering chiefly on the Atlantic coast, south to Cuba.

This bird is like the preceding; except in size; about thirty-six
inches, instead of twenty-six inches in length as is the lesser variety.
The entire plumage is white except for the black primaries. They
construct their nests of grasses on the ground the same as the preceding
variety. The eggs number from five to eight and are cream colored. Size
3.40 x 2.40.

169.1. BLUE GOOSE. _Chen caerulescens._

Range.--North America, principally in the interior, breeding from Hudson
Bay northward and wintering along the Gulf coast.

This species may always be recognized by the entirely white head and
neck, the body being grayish or bluish gray. They nest on the ground as
do the other geese laying from four to eight eggs of a brownish buff
color. Size 2.50 x 1.75. Data,--Cape Bathurst, Arctic coast, June 29,
1899. Four eggs laid in a depression lined with grass, on an island.
Collected with the parent birds by the Esquimaux.

[Illustration 109: Grayish White.]
[Illustration: Lesser Snow Goose. Blue Goose.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 108

170. ROSS'S SNOW GOOSE. _Chen rossi._

Range.--This beautiful species, which is similar in plumage to the large
Snow Goose, is but twenty-one inches in length. It breeds in the extreme
north, and in winter is found in the western part of the United States
as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. Their nesting habits and eggs
probably do not differ from others in the family except in the matter of
size.

171. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. _Anser albifrons albifrons._

This European species is exactly like the American except that it is
said to average a trifle smaller. It is occasionally found in Greenland.

171a. AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. _Anser albifrons ga