92 ANATID.E. 



selves for tins purpose, without requiring or receiving either 

 care or food from man, that the Canada Goose seems to be 

 entitled to a place in this work. The bird from which Mr. 

 Bewick drew his figure of this species was shot at St. Ger- 

 main's in Cornwall, where two or three other examples have 

 also been shot ; and Mr. E. H. Rodd, of Penzance, sent me 

 word some time ago, that the Canada Goose had been shot on 

 the Scilly Islands. I have known several shot at different 

 times in Hampshire. The Rev. Leonard Jenyns observes 

 that large flocks have been observed in the fens of Cambridge- 

 shire in a state of liberty and independence, and some of 

 them have been killed in more than one instance. A writer 

 in the Magazine of Natural History, vol. viii. p. 255, says, " in 

 this neighbourhood (near Derby) we are frequently visited by 

 small flocks of the Canada Goose, Anser Canadensis, Wil- 

 lughby, which is a bird, I believe, of very local distribution. 

 They always announce their approach by a loud noise, and, 

 after wheeling two or three times round the piece of water 

 near the house, they alight and commence grazing. They 

 are very ornamental objects stalking about the lawn, tossing 

 their heads and making curious contortions with their long 

 necks. It frequently happens that two remain when all the 

 rest are flown. After reconnoitring the place for a few days, 

 they usually fix on the corner of an island as their nesting 

 place. This favourite nook of theirs is not far from where a 

 pair of Moorhens, year after year, produce their young ; yet, 

 neither Goose nor Moorhen ever interfere with each other, 

 but keep on very good terms ; nevertheless, the former does 

 not permit her sooty companion to make too close an ap- 

 proach. After the female goose has fully made up her mind 

 as to the locality of her nursery, she begins plucking feathers, 

 straws, and other soft materials, until she has at last con- 

 structed a perfect feather bed. Having laid her eggs, gene- 

 rally six, she sits with most exemplary patience, and, notwith- 



