LAMELLIEOSTBES— ANATIDAE— BEANTA CANADENSIS. 471 



BRANTA CANADENSIS (Liun.). 

 Canada Goose. 



Anas canadensis, Linn., Syst. Nat., i, 17GG, 198. 



Bernicla canadensis, Bd., Stans. Rep. Exp. Great Salt Lake, 1852, 321.— WoODH., Sit- 

 greave's Exp. Zufii & Col. Riv., 1854, 102.— Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 

 100.— Bd., U. S. & Mex. Bound. Surv., il, pt. ii, 1859, Birds, 20.- Ken- 

 NERLY, P. R. R. Rep., Whipple's Route, 1859, 34.— Heekm., P. R. R. 

 Rep., X, pt. iv, 1859, 6G.— Coop. & SrcKL., P. R. E. Rep., xii, pt. ii, 

 ISCO, 250.— CouES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 98 (Colorado 

 River). — Uayd., Tnius. Am. Phil. Soc, xii, 1862, 175. — Snow, Birds Kan., 

 1872, 15.— CouES, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 283, f. 1S5».— Allen, Bui. Mus. 

 Coinp. Zool., 1872, 183 Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1872, 466 (Wyo- 

 ming).— YARROW & Eenshaw, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 

 1874, 31.— Allen, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., June, 1874, 37.— CouES, 

 Birds Noithwest, 1874, 553. 



Bernicla [Leticohlcpharon) canadensis, Bv., Birds N. A., 1858, 764, pi. xlix. 



The Canada Goose makes its appearance early in the fall on the waters 

 of Utah, and in November the surface of many of the larger ponds and lakes 

 are often covered with multitudes. The earlier comers appear to be 

 migrants; but the species winters, at least till the extreme winter weather 

 has entirely closed their watery resorts witli ice. At nightfall, they 

 retire to the water, sleeping on the surface in continuous masses. Long 

 before dawn they are awake, and betray by their continuous honking the 

 impatience with wliich they await the coming of the day. At the first streaks 

 of dawn, they begin to move from the water in detachments, varying in 

 number from ten or fifteen to several hundred. 



Upon leaving the water, the hungry birds direct their course inland ; 

 at first their flight is quite low, affording now a most excellent opportunity 

 to the enterprising gunner, who may be thus early abroad, and who has hidden 

 himself in some one of the many thickets and reedy coverts which abound 

 in the marshy ground. A few shots obtained in this way as the flocks pass 

 within easy range are often productive of a good bag. No birds ai'e, how- 

 ever, more wary than these geese, and a few lessons of this sort soon 

 teach them their remedy. In November, after they had suffered much 

 at the hands of the sportsmen, I found it impossible to entrap them in this 

 way, as upon leaving their watery bed each flock took a few turns above 

 the lake, and soon placing themselves at a height sufficient to be out of 



