Zibo Swarth, Races of Branta canadensis. [April 1. Two-year plumage-cycle (like Larus Philadelphia): — Xema sabini, Rhodostethia rosea, Larus minutus, Larus franklini, Larus atrieilla, Rissa brevirostris and Rissa tridactyla. 2. Three-year plumage-cycle: — Larus hecrmanni, Larus canus, Larus brachyrhynchus, Lams dclawarensis and Pagophila alba. 3. Four-year plumage-cycle (like Larus argentatus): — Larus cali- fornicus, Larus vegae, Larus affinis, Larus occidentalis, Larus schis- tisagus, Larus marinus, Larus nelsoni, Larus kumlieni, Larus glau- cescens, Larus leucopterus and Larus hypcrboreus. JiS W. 70th Street, New York, N. Y. THE SUBSPECIES OF BRANTA CANADENSIS (LINNAEUS)[1] BY H. S. SWARTH In the January, 1920, issue of 'The Auk' (pp. 94-102) Mr. J. D. Figgins has a paper on "The Status of the Subspecific Races of Branta canadensis." This paper is devoted in large part to severe criticism of a publication of my own upon the same subject. 2 I could not possibly take exception to Mr. Figgins for differing from me in matters of opinion, nor for publishing his conclusions. I am, however, perfectly justified in feeling resentful at the ungracious wording of his argument. I object to such statements, for example, as that measurements I have taken are unreliable and that I have suppressed such measurements as did not answer my purpose. I object to having statements ascribed to me that I did not make. I object to having statements of mine "interpreted" — I do not think they need it.
Before discussing in detail some of the statements he has made, it is best, perhaps, to give Mr. Figgins' conclusions, then some of my objections to them. He says finally: "It is, therefore, pro- posed that 'hutchinsi' and ( occident(dis , be eliminated as subspecific forms, that minima be raised to specific rank and that the occas-
2 A study of a collection of geese of the Branta canadensis group from the San
Joaquin Valley, California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., vol. 12, 1913, pp. 1-24, pis.
1-2, 8 text figs.
- ↑ Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California.
