A N SË R ES. ANATIDÆ. more closely resembled the White-fronted than the Bean
A n SER BRACHYRHYNCHUS, Bâillon.*
' THE PINK-FOOTED GOOSE.
Anser brachyrhynchus.
On the 8th of January, 1889, at the first evening meeting
of the Zoological Society in that year, Mr. Bartlett exhibited
several species of Geese in illustration of a paper on a new
British species of the genus Anser, for which he proposed
the name of A. phoenicopus, on account of the pink colour
of the feet; being then unaware that Bâillon had previously
described the same species in an obscure publication, under
the name of A. brachyrhynchus, with reference to its short
bill. At that time Mr. Bartlett had examined twelve
examples : four of them alive ; and in pointing out the
characteristics of this species and its allies, he remarked
that in the formation of its sternum the Pink-footed Goose
* Mém. Soc. roy. d’émulation d’Abbeville, 1833, p. 74.
Goose, although so like the latter in external appearance.
The Pink-footed Goose, for the first notice of which, in
this country, we are indebted to the discrimination of Mr.
Bartlett, is considerably smaller in size than the Bean
Goose last described, but is otherwise so like it in general
appearance, that there can be no doubt it has frequently
been mistaken for the young bird of that species. On comparison
it is at once distinguished by the smaller and shorter
beak, and the pink colour of the legs and feet; but it may
be mentioned that, according to Mr. Cordeaux’s experience,
the dimensions of the bill in some immature Bean Geese
little exceed those in the present species ; and again, some
true Pink-footed Geese kept in semi-captivity by Mr. Cecil
Smith, have produced broods in which one or more individuals
occasionally showed orange in their bills and feet,
although in the rest of the brood those parts were of the
normal pink colour.
Attention having been called to the distinguishing characteristics
of the species, it has since been recognized as
rivalling the Bean Goose in its abundance during the colder
months of the year. Pink-footed Geese were observed to
be not uncommon in the London market during the winters
of 1838, 1839, and 1840; and in January of the year 1841,
the Author was informed by the Hon. and Rev. Thomas
Keppel of Warliam Rectory, near Holkham, that a Pinkfooted
Goose had been killed by his nephew, Lord Coke [the
present Earl of Leicester!, at Holkham. This bird was shot
out of a flock of about twenty, but nothing particular was
observed in their flight or habits. Subsequent observation
has shown that nearly all the Wild Geese which frequent
the Holkham and Burnham marshes are of this species ;
and so abundant are they in severe weather that 138 were
killed in the winter of 1860-61. To this species probably
belonged the flocks which Lubbock formerly spoke of as
Bean Geese. Mr. Dowell informed Mr. Stevenson that they
feed on the uplands by day in flocks of from one or two
to six or seven hundred ; and he has known as many as