Plate 45
The White-necked Goose
Bernicla leucopareius (Brandt)
DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Genus Bernicla. Stephens, Cont. of Shaw’s Zool. XII. p. 45. (1824). Bernicla leucopareia. (Brandt.) Anser leucopareius. Brandt, Bulletin Acad., St. Petersburg, I., p. 37. Desc. et Icones Animalium Rossicorum novorum. Aves, p. 13, pl. 2, (1836.) Anser Hutchinsii. Richardson, Fauna Boreali Americana, Birds, p. 470? (1831.) “Anser canadensis. Brisson.” Pallas, Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, II., p. 230.
Form. Bill small, short, wide vertically at base; wing long, second quill longest; tail short; legs short; toes moderate, fully webbed. A protuberance on the edge of the wing near the shoulder. One of the smallest of the species of this genus.
Dimensions. Total length, male (of skin) about 23 inches, wing 15, tail 5½ inches.
Colors. Head and neck glossy black; a large somewhat reniform patch on each cheek, white, and a ring around the neck of the same (white) at the termination of the black part. Entire upper parts fuscous, lighter on the back, and with the feathers edged with paler and very dark, nearly black on the rump; upper tail coverts white; quills and tail brownish-black; secondaries edged outwardly with pale brown; breast and abdomen glossy yellowish ashy, with transverse stripes of brown on the sides; ventral region and under tail coverts, white; bill and feet dark; under wing coverts and axillaries light ashy brown; the white ring around the neck more or less interrupted behind; the white patches on the cheeks separated by a narrow longitudinal band on the throat.
Hab. California. Russian America. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philad.
Obs. As stated in the preceding pages, this bird much resembles, if it is not identical with, the species known as Bernicla Hutchinsii, from which the most essential distinctive character is the white ring around the neck. If identical, we have, at any rate, the gratification of being the first to represent that species, in mature plumage. At present we regard it as a distinct, though nearly allied bird.
The date of the publication of Prof. Brandt’s first description we have not succeeded in ascertaining, not having access to the Bulletin of the Academy of St. Petersburg. The reference to the volume and page we copy from his own citation, in his work above quoted, in which, however, the date is not stated.