ANSERINE — THE GEESE — CHEN. 441 



the shore. It arrives from the north in October, and remains until March, when it 

 joins its kindred of other species, and together they depart for more northern regions. 

 While in California this bird feeds chiefly on grass, and is very shy and watchful. It 

 is generally silent, but at times, chiefly when flying, utters a shrill hoiok. It is hunted 

 and shot, and many are brought to market, being considered, when young, better than 

 the common Wild Goose. 



This bird occiu'S in the interior of the continent on all the large lakes, as well as 

 on the smaller collections of water, Mr. J. A. Allen met with it in Salt Lake Valley, 

 where it begins to arrive in considerable numbers about October 1st, being known 

 there as the "White Brant. JNIr. EidgAvay also found it a more or less common winter 

 resident or visitant on all the larger lakes of the Great Basin. Captain Bendire 

 mentions it as common during the migrations in Eastern Oregon. It is of accidental 

 occurrence in the Bermudas, two examples, according to Major Wedderburn, having 

 been shot at Riddle's Bay in October, 1848. 



Hearne, in his Account of his Journey to the Northern Ocean, speaks of the 

 White or Snow Goose as being the most numerous of all the species of birds fre- 

 quenting the northern part of Hudson's Bay, and says that it makes its appearance 

 about a week or ten days after the common Wild Goose. In the first part of the 

 season it arrives in small parties ; Ijut in the middle and toward the latter end comes 

 in such amazing numbers, that when they settle in the marshes, the ground for a con- 

 siderable distance appears like a field of snow. When feeding in the same marsh 

 with A. canadensis, the two species never mingle. Like the latter, it will fly to a call 

 resembling its own note ; and in some years it has been killed and salted in great 

 numbers for winter consumption, it being almost universally regarded as good eating. 

 If proper care be taken in the curing it will continue good for two years. The 

 Indians at Hudson's Bay are said to be far more expert than the Europeans in killing 

 this bird, some of them having been known to obtain upward of a hundred in a single 

 day, a single Indian commonly killing from a thousand to twelve hundred in a 

 season ; but at the time Hearne wrote he was reckoned a good hunter who could kill 

 three hundred, as these Geese did not then frequent that region in as great numbers 

 as they formerly did. 



Hearne adds that the general breeding-place of this species was not known to the 

 Indians of Hudson's Bay, nor to the Eskimos that frequent the extreme north. The 

 general route they take in their return to the south in the fall of the year was 

 equally unknown. 



About Hudson's Bay this bird is said to be the shyest and most Avatchf ul of all the 

 species of Geese, never suffering an open approach, not even to within two or three 

 gunshots. Yet on some of the rivers near Cumberland House, and at Basquian, the 

 Indians would occasionally kill twenty at a shot. This was done on moonlight nights, 

 when the Geese were sitting in the mud, and the sportsmen were concealed from 

 view. 



According to the o^bservations of Dr. Eichardson, the Snow Goose in summer feeds 

 chiefly on berries, and is seldom seen on the water except during the night or when 

 moulting. It frequents the shores of rivers and lakes, and visits both the interior 

 and the coasts in its migrations, but resorts in great numbers to the Barren Grounds 

 to breed. The eggs are of a yellowish white color, and of a regular ovate form, their 

 length being three inches, and their breadth two. The young fly in the middle of 

 August, and by the end of September have aU departed south. Their food in the 

 summer consists of rushes and insects, and in the autumn of berries, particularly 

 those of the Enqjetrum nignc7n,. When in good condition — as Eichardson says — 

 VOL. I. — 56 



