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Range (Arctic and western North)
"Arctic and western North America; rare or casual on the Atlantic coast" (A. O. U.). "Breeds in abundance on the arctic coast of Liverpool Bay" (Macfarlane). Long Island, A. V.
Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground. Eggs, five to seven, dull ivory-white or grayish white, 2.85 × 1.82 (B., B., and R.). This is the western representative of the preceding species. It is of casual occurrence on the Atlantic coast.
SWANS.
The BARNACLE GOOSE (175. Branta leucopsis) is an Old-World species which visits Greenland regularly in the fall, and is sometimes found on our coasts. It differs from any of the preceding in having the forehead, sides of the head, throat, and chin white, the lores being black. Subfamily Cygninæ. Swans.
Swans feed from the surface, either by "tipping" or by simply immersing the long neck and head. Their food consists largely of vegetable matter, but they eat also small mollusks. They migrate in V-shaped flocks. When on the wing, and also when feeding, they utter at times loud, trumpeting notes. When pursued they do not at once take flight, but swim rapidly away, and in this manner easily distance a strong rower.
KEY TO THE SPECIES.
A. With yellow on the lores; distance from the eye to the nostril greater than the distance from the nostril to the tip of the bill. 180. WHISTLING SWAN. B. No yellow on the lores; distance from the eye to the nostril not greater than from the nostril to the end of the bill 181. TRUMPETER SWAN. 180. Olor columbianus (Ord). WHISTLING SWAN. Ad. - White; bill and feet black; a small yellow spot on the lores. Im. -Head and neck brownish and rest of plumage more or less washed with grayish; bill and feet light. L., 55.00; W., 22.00; Tar., 4:00. Eye to N., 2.40; N. to tip of B., 2.25.
Range.-North America; breeds on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, and migrates south to the Gulf of Mexico; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Chesapeake Bay.
Washington, rare W. V., Oct. Long Island, A. V.
Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground near water. Eggs, two to five, soiled whitish, 4.25 x 2.70.
This is a rare bird on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. "When feeding, or dressing their plumage, this Swan is usually very noisy, and at night these clamors may be heard to the distance of several miles. Their notes are varied, some resembling the lower ones made by the common tin horn, others running through the various modulations of the notes of the clarionet. These differences are presumed to be dependent upon age" (B., B., and R.). 181. Olor buccinator (Rich.). TRUMPETER SWAN. Ad.-White, bill and feet black, no yellow on the lores. Im. - Head and neck brownish, rest of plumage more or less washed with grayish. L., 65.00; W., 23.00; Tar., 4.25; Eye to N., 2.70; N. to tip of B., 2.20.