Genus XCVII. ANAS. DUCK 

 Species I. ANAS CANADENSIS. 



CANADA GOOSE. 



[Plate LXVII. Fig. 4] 



L'Oye sauvage de Canada, Briss. ti., p. 272, 4, pi. 26. — L'Oie d cravate, Buff, ix., 

 p. 82. — Edw. pi. 151.— ^rc^. Zool. No. 471.— Catesby, i., pi. 92.— Lath. Si/n. 

 III., p. 450.* 



This is the common Wild Goose of the United States, universally 

 known over the whole country ; whose regular periodical migrations 

 are the sure signals of returning spring, or approaching winter. The 

 tracts of their vast migratory journeys are not confined to the seacoast 

 or its vicinity. In their aerial voyages to and from the north, these 

 winged pilgrims pass over the interior on both sides of the mountains, as 

 far west, at least, as the Osage river, and I have never yet visited any 

 quarter of the country where the inhabitants are not familiarly ac- 

 quainted with the regular passing and repassing of the Wild Geese. 

 The general opinion here is that they are on their way to the lakes to 

 breed ; but the inhabitants on the confines of the great lakes that sepa- 

 rate us from Canada, are equally ignorant with ourselves of the parti- 

 cular breeding places of those birds. There their journey north is but 

 commencing, and how far it extends it is impossible for us at present to 

 ascertain, from our little acquaintance with these frozen regions. They 

 were seen by Hcarne in large flocks within the arctic circle, and were 

 then pursuing their way still further north. Captain Phipps speaks of 

 seeing Wild Geese feeding at the water's edge, on the dreary coast of 

 Spitzbergcn, in lat. 80° 27'. It is highly probable that they extend 

 their migrations under the very pole itself, amid the silent desolation of 

 unknown countries, shut out ever since creation from the prying eye of 

 man by everlasting and insuperable barriers of ice. That such places 

 abound with their suitable food we cannot for a moment doubt ; while 

 the absence of their great destroyer man, and the splendors of a perpe- 

 tual day, may render such regions the most suitable for their purpose. 



Having fulfilled the great law of nature, the approaching rigors of 



* Anas Canadensis, Gmel. Syst. i., p. 514. — PI. Enl. 346. — Ind. Orn., p. 838, 

 No. 17. 



(61) 



