1 86 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



das nest einer wilden Gans {Anser canadensis) fanden wir auf einem 

 solchen Baume" (near mouth Nadaway River, in Missouri, April 

 25, 1833). . . (i, 308-9), May 9, 1833, above mouth of Big Sioux), 

 "An der Miindung des Ayowa (loway) Flusses, welcher an sud- 

 Hchen Ufer sehr spitzwinkHg in den Missouri tritt, . . . haufig 

 beobachteten wir die wilden Ganse, die jetzt ehre kleinen Jungen, 

 deren sie nie mehr als 4 bis 6 hatten, am Ufer vor uns in Sicher- 

 heit zu bringen suchten. Kam man ihnen sehr nahe, so flutterte 

 die Mutter angstlich fort und leiss ihre hochstimme horen." 

 Audubon (Journals, i, 477) mentions observing geese at various 

 points along the Missouri in 1843, — May 9 (near mouth of Platte); 

 May II (below mouth of Little Sioux); May 13 (below mouth of 

 Little Sioux) ' 'we saw a good number of geese, though fewer than 

 yesterday."" (Ibid., ii, 173). Oct. i, 1843, "geese very abundant" 

 (mouth of Big Sioux.) "Camped at mouth of the Omaha River, 

 six miles from the village. The wild geese are innumerable." 

 Oct. 3 — "passed the lyittle Sioux River. Saw . . . two Swans, 

 several Pelicans, and abundance of Geese and Ducks. Passed 

 Soldier River at three o'clock . . . killed two Mallards; the geese 

 and ducks are abundant beyond description." 



Keyes and Williams (Bds. of Iowa, 1889, 118) state that the 

 species "breeds in the vicinity of Spirit Lake and other localities 

 in northern Iowa." Most observers at the present time .speak of 

 the Canada Goose as a common or abundant migrant, flying in 

 large V-shaped wedges as early in the spring as open water can 

 be found, and returning with the first general freeze-up in the 

 fall. Its resonant and sonorous "honk" is known to all. 



The Canada Goose is only reported as a winter resident from 

 the extreme southeastern portion of the state: ' 'abundant migrant 

 and winter resident — Keokuk district" (Praeger); "winter resi- 

 dent, common; formerly bred here — Lee" (Currier). "Usually 

 reaches Boone county the last week in January, and from that on 

 to the last of March, according to the season; formerly breeding" 

 (Henning). The species is a common migrant in Winnebago and 

 Hancock counties, but is exceedingly wary and very seldom cap- 

 tured. They formerly nested quite commonly in that locality, 

 and a few isolated pairs have continued to remain during the 

 summer until quite recently (four or five years ago) at Goose Lake 

 and Eagle Lake (Hancock), along the Buffalo Forks (Winnebago), 



