Part 17

=Measurements=--Wing, about 16 inches; bill, 2-1/4 inches.

THE ROSS GOOSE LITTLE WHITE GOOSE

(Chen rossii)

The Ross goose has been given the name of China goose by many who wanted some distinguishing nomenclature for them, when in fact the Ross goose is purely an American Pacific Coast bird. Like the snow goose it is pure white with black primary plumes. Young birds of both species are occasionally seen in the early part of the season more or less mottled on the breast with yellowish gray feathers. The Ross goose is only about half the size of the snow goose. Aside from this it can always be known by the warty appearance of the upper half of the bill. They are commonly seen, both in feeding and in their migrations, mixed in the flocks of the snow geese. Occasionally they are seen as far east as Utah and Montana, but only in small numbers. The Ross goose migrates as far south as Central Mexico, great numbers of them congregating on Lake Chapala, in the state of Jalisco.

=Color=--Same as the snow goose.

=Measurements=--Wing, about 14 inches; bill, 2-1/4, with warty excresences on the upper part.

WHITE FRONTED GOOSE

(Anser albifrons gambeli)

The white-fronted goose, or speckle-breast as it is commonly called, is quite common on the Coast south to Mexico, where great numbers congregate on Lake Chapala, Jalisco. This is another western species, though ranging to some extent as far east as the Mississippi valley and an occasional flock wanders even to the Atlantic coast. The breasts of the old birds are commonly profusely speckled with black feathers. The white-fronted goose is a little more exclusive in its habits than any of the others named, being generally found in flocks by themselves. As a table bird the meat is quite palatable, and large numbers are sold in the markets.

=Color=--Head, grayish brown, with a white spot at the junction of the bill, but this is absent from the young birds; neck, lighter, shading into white or dull white on the breast, mottled with black; back, ashy gray, edged with brown; shafts of the quills, white; bill and legs, light pink.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is usually well made and lined with feathers and down. The eggs number about seven or eight, and are of a pale greenish white.

=Measurements=--Wing, 16 inches; bill, 2 inches.

THE EMPEROR GOOSE

(Philacte canagica)

The Emperor goose is a north Pacific species, breeding principally on the islands of the Alaska coast. The great majority of these birds winter well to the north of us, though a number venture southward into California to Humboldt bay and even south of that. A small flock or two is seen almost every winter on the marshes near San Francisco. A close watch of the markets will reveal one or two offered for sale almost every winter.

=Color=--Head and back of neck, white; throat, brownish gray, shading into light gray on the breast and abdomen; back, a little darker; the feathers being gray, tipped with lighter gray, with a subterminal band of brownish gray; legs, flesh color.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nests are usually found on the small islands of the salt marshes, and contain eight to ten eggs of a dull white color.

=Measurements=--Wing, about 15-1/2 inches; bill, 1-1/2 inches.

THE BLACK SEA BRANT

(Branta nigricans)

The black sea brant is another purely Pacific Coast species, found nowhere else except as a straggler. They resemble the barnacle brant of the Atlantic (=Branta barnicla=) except in the shape of the head and bill. A differing characteristic, however, is that the white speckling on the sides of the neck of the barnacle brant extends all around the front of the neck in the case of the black sea brant. As their name implies, these are purely seabirds, rarely flying over the land even, and only found in such bays as produce the eel grass on which they feed almost exclusively. I only know of the following places within the Pacific Coast shooting grounds where the black sea brant is found. These are: Puget sound, Washington; Coos bay, Oregon; Humboldt, Tomales, Moro and San Diego bays, California, and Magdalena bay, Lower California. In most of these places they ate plentiful during the winter season. Of all birds that fall to the aim of the sportsman, the black sea brant is the most difficult to get within range of. This is only accomplished by great caution and a good deal of strategy, but when they are brought to bag the reward is a full compensation, for of all the waterfowl their flesh is the most delicious. The sea brant is rarely found away from the haunts mentioned, yet the bird from which the accompanying illustration was made was killed from a small flock that had strayed into the lower end of San Francisco bay, near Redwood City, and was mounted by that accomplished sportsman and taxidermist, Chase Littlejohn, of that place.

=Color=--General color, black; throat, with a white or speckled ring all around the neck, except a small portion of the back; flanks, mottled white and black; under tail feathers, white.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is only a depression on the ground, but nicely lined with down. The eggs, numbering six to eight, are of a dull white.

=Measurements=--Wing, 13 inches; bill, 1-1/2 inches.

THE SWANS

(Olor columbianus) and (Olor buccinator)

(Subfamily, CYGNINAE)

Both the whistling swan (=Olor columbianus=) and the trumpeter swan (=Olor buccinator=) were once very plentiful on the Pacific Coast hunting grounds, as far south as central California, and especially so on the Columbia river and the lakes of Oregon and Washington. A few were met with also as far south as San Diego county, California.