ANATID.E THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 121 



This circumstance, mentioned by Dr. Coues and Dr. Merrill has, 

 however, been discredited by Dr. Agersborg, who says* that he 

 has "several times been shown nests in trees, claimed by the 

 settlers to be the nests of geese; but the "geese" have invari- 

 ably turned out to be cormorants (Phalacrocoraw dalopJws). Of 

 the few nests of the Canada Geese found, the majority have been 

 far away from any water, far out on the prairie; but one nest 

 was built among some large boulders, two feet from the water's 

 edge * * May not many, if not all of the nests seen in trees 

 by other observers have belonged to the shag?' : 



The following interesting notes on domesticated Canada Geese 

 are given by Mr. Wm. Dutcher, in The AtiA, for January, 1885, 

 p. Ill: 



During the last week in May, 1879, I saw some goslings, just 

 hatched, belonging to Capt. Lane, of Shinnecock Bay, Long- 

 Island, N. Y. August 16, I saw them again and was unable to 

 distinguish them from the rest of the flock by their size or 

 plumage. The present season Capt. Lane raised nineteen geese. 

 I saw the flock daily from June 26 to July 25, and during the 

 latter part of the time the young birds were hardly distinguish- 

 able from the old ones, except by the solicitude the parents dis- 

 played for the safety of their progeny. Capt. Lane has had re- 

 markable success in breeding Canada Geese in confinement, and 

 has kindly furnished me with the following information regard- 

 ing their habits during the incubating season : "They make their 

 nests of dried grass, raising them about twelve inches from the 

 ground. They feather them when they begin to lay, which is 

 about May 1. None lay until three years old; the first season 

 four eggs are laid, five the second season, and when older six 

 and seven. A goose never has more than one mate. The gander 

 never sits on the nest, but while the goose is sitting never leaves 

 her. The time of incubation is four weeks. The young when 

 hatched are strong enough to take care of themselves, that is, 

 they eat grass and walk and swim as soon as they get dry. 

 They will eat meal on the second day. They are in the down 

 four weeks, and are fully grown in six weeks. When swimming, 

 the gander goes ahead, the young next, and the goose follows, 

 invariably." 



* The Auk, ii, 1885, pp. 287-288. 



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