William in his inquiry. The above synonymy shows the result to which he has come. I also particularly drew the attention of my friends to the white-tailed grouse in relation to its affinity to this species, but no specimens of it have as yet been received. Mr A. M'Donald, stationed at Little Whale River, however, writes me as follows on the subject:- "I am not aware that the white-tailed grouse is to be found in this locality. We have two sorts of the ptarmigan-the large one, which is generally found among the willows, is, I believe, the willow grouse. The other is much smaller, and confines itself almost entirely to the rocks.* This latter may be the white-tailed grouse to which you refer. I have never seen it in summer, and indeed they do not, I believe, make their appearance till after a considerable quantity of snow has fallen. They are of about the size of the common pigeon." He adds, "I will be able to procure good specimens of both these, and, if possible, in the various stages." As specimens of this whitetailed grouse are exceedingly scarce in museums in Britain such a supply will be acceptable. Tetrao Canadensis, (Linn.) Trout Lake and Hudson's Bay. Tetrao phasianellus, (Linn.) Trout Lake Station. The Tetrao obscurus (Rich. and Sw.), or Dusky Grouse of the Northern Zoology, has not yet been received.† Porzana Carolina (Linn.), (Carolina Rail). Severn House. Pluvialis Virginiacus, (Borkh.) Trout Lake Station and Severn House. The American representative of our golden plover, specifically distinguished from it by its lesser size, and the axillary feathers being dusky, instead of white. Like our own golden plover, this bird is highly prized as food. Charadrius semipalmatus, (Kaup.) Trout Lake Station and Severn House. Plentiful in Arctic America. This smaller bird, if not the white-tailed species, will be L. mutus (Leach). or common ptarmigan of Great Britain. The white-tailed bird cannot be mistaken, none of the tail feathers being black, as in the other two species. ↑ Tetrao obscurus (Say), and the Tetrao obscurus (Richard and Swain), Fauns B. Am., are quite distinct, and specimens of the latter from northern latitudes are much wanted. VOL. II. G Squatarola helvetica, (Linn.) Severn House. This may be looked upon as only a northern state of our grey plover. My specimens are in full breeding plumage, and the ground colour of all the upper parts nearly white; certainly appears to be influenced by climate. Strepsilas interpres, (Linn.) Hudson's Bay and Severn House. A citizen of the world. Grus Canadensis, (Temm.) Trout Lake Station. Botaurus lentiginosus (Montag.), (American Bittern). Severn House. Numenius Hudsonicus, (Lath.) Severn House. Tringa alpina, (Linn.) Severn House. Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.), (vociferus, Sab.) Severn House. The specimens received agree with Gmelin's description of the breeding plumage, but differ somewhat from those usually seen, which generally come farther from the south. Totanus flavipes, (Vieill.) Severn House. Limosa fedoa, (Linn.) Hudson's Bay. Limosa Hudsonica, (Lath.) Severn House. Phalaropus lobatus, (Ord.) Severn House. Anser hyperboreus (Gmel.), (Wavey; Snowy Goose). Bernicla Canadensis (Linn.), (Cravat Goose; Canada Goose). There are most probably more than one species confounded under the old name of Anas Canadensis of Linnæus, founded on the figures of Brisson, Catesby and Edwards, which all evidently refer to one species. Sir John Richardson mentions two Indian synonymes for it—viz., Neescah and Mistehay-neescah, besides that of Apisteeskeesh for Hutchin's goose, from whence we may, I think, legitimately infer that the Indians recognise two species at least, this being peculiarly a case where dependence may be placed on the observations of natives, the animals being one of the objects of their chase, and a knowledge of the habits and distinctions of different species being essential to their success in hunting them. Three skins have been received, which appear to belong to three different species; the one of middle size being without doubt the true Canada goose. The smallest one differs in the form of the bill, which is more Bernicle-like; it resembles B. Hutchinsii; and Sir William Jardine informs me it agrees very exactly in size, &c., with a bird from Mexico, described by Cassin, from the Philadelphia Museum, under the name of parvipes. And he adds,"Its being from Mexico is no drawback, the Philadelphia Museum possesses only one specimen, and that would be migratory." The largest specimen seems also distinct, and does not appear to have been described; and as it is obvious that, whether it be really a new species or merely in a different state of plumage, it must, when it becomes known, be sooner or later described and made identifiable as a variety, if not as a species, I think I can do no harm in describing it, and giving it a provisional cognomen. Bernicla leucolama, (Murray). (Plate I.) Beak black; head and greatest part of the neck black; chin and throat white, the white extending upwards and backwards beyond the ear coverts, and also extending downwards along the under side of the neck almost to the end of the black portion, but tapering away and becoming narrower and somewhat interspersed with black feathers as it extends downwards; the under eyelid broadly white; the white on the cheeks, &c., without black flecks; the black on the fore part of the head and behind the white space flecked with white; the back and the wing coverts, the secondaries and tertials light brown, with lighter coloured edges to the feathers; primaries dark brown; tail feathers black; the rump black; upper tail coverts white; lower part of the neck pale dirty lavender; upper part of breast still paler; lower part and belly almost white, except a broad pale lavender-coloured band across the middle, just before the tops of the thighs, or, perhaps, I should rather express it as breast and belly pale lavendercoloured, with a broad white band across the breast; vent and under tail coverts white; legs and first phalanges pale brown, probably paler when in life; remainder of the phalanges and interdigital membranes bright yellow, sparingly spotted here and there with black or brown. Length, 40 inches. Its general appearance is very much the same as that of the Canada goose. The following are the particulars in which it differs: In colour.-In the Canada goose the white cravat does not extend downwards along the under side of the neck, but is quite abruptly defined, and cut off; in B. leucolama it does, so as to give the appearance not only of a white cravat under its chin, but also a white frill or shirt appearing in front down its black waistcoat. In the Canada goose the white cravat is flecked more or less with blackish specks; in leucolama it is wholly white. In the Canada goose, the black head in front of, and above the white cravat, is wholly black; in leucolæma it is flecked with an occasional white speck, and most so where it joins the upper mandible both in front and on each side. In the Canada goose the space between the rami of the lower mandible is black or blackish; in leucolama it is pure white. The white on the lower eyelid is comparatively broad and distinct in leucolama; in the Canada goose it is a mere line like a thread. The general tone of the plumage of the body, both above and below, is considerably paler in leucolama than in the Canada goose-the black primaries having become brown, the brown back having become somewhat fawn-coloured, and the fawn-coloured under side having become dirty white, with a pale bluish or lavender-coloured broad band stretching across the belly between the two thighs. The black on the neck extends rather a shorter distance down in leucolama than in the Canada goose. The legs are yellowish-brown, and the interdigital spaces bright yellow in leucolama, instead of being black as in the Canada goose. I believe that in some species of geese the colour of the leg changes according to the age; but this would not appear to be the case in the Canada goose, because Captain Ord informs me that the colour is constantly black, both in old birds and young broods, which he has reared since 1852. There are also some differences in the relative proportions, which I shall tabulate for the sake of brevity and easier reference, and shall include in the comparison the proportions of the following species supposed to be B. Hutchinsii. The mea surements are taken from the specimens which I have received from Hudson's Bay, one of each bird, and all these apparently full grown: B. Cana- B. leu- B. Hut 391 40 32 Length of bird, from tip of bill to end of Inches. Inches. Inches. tail feathers, measured along the back, Length of upper mandible, from tip to where the downy plumage begins, measured along the middle, Breadth of upper mandible across the nostrils, Height of upper mandible at the nos trils, Length of head, from base of the middle 2 21 13 11/ 17 There is also a slight difference in the arrangement of the scuta on the phalanges of the Canada goose and leucolæma, though not very decided. In the next species this is much more marked. B. Hutchinsii? Richard and Swain. (Plate 1).—The preceding measurements show that this is a much smaller bird, and it will be observed that the proportions are different. The bill is proportionally much smaller, narrower, and deeper, Ithan in the other two. The colour is much the same as in the Canada goose, but darker and richer on the back, and with a greater shade of fawn on the belly, instead of the lavender colour in the Canada goose, owing to the colour of the terminations of the abdominal feathers. The cravatpatch wants the black flecking which Captain Ord informs me he has found to be a constant character in his specimens of the Canada goose. There is a marked difference in the mode of arrangement of the scuta on the first phalanx of the middle toe. In the two preceding species there are three oblique transverse scuta at the distal extremity, those further back being broken up into polygonal plates; while in this species there are seven broad |