number of eggs is because the young have so 
many enemies and encounter so many dangers 
that this 1s necessary if any are to be spared 
to grow up. 
At the time the widgeons visited the pelican 
city they were about half grown, and soon after- 
ward they began to spend more of their time 
on the open waters of the lake. Here they 
often met the Canada geese with their young. 
There was one queer thing about these big pad- 
dlers that any one could see. While the young 
were very small, of course, they could not fly, . 
but the surprising thing was that the mother 
goose could not fly either. At that time of the 
year so many of her quills are shed that her 
wings will not lift her into the air. But one is 
much mistaken if he thinks that while in this 
condition she can be caught by rowing a boat 
after her. A certain boy once tried this and 
the old goose flapped and swam so rapidly that 
before the boat could catch up she had gained 
the farther shore. She then walked off among 
the tules, and sat down to wait until the dis- 
appointed boy had rowed away. 
224 
