CANADA GOOSE. 65 



quite tame and familiar, and in a little time its wounded wing entirely 

 healed. In the following spring, when the "Wild Geese migrate to the 

 northward, a flock passed over Mr. Piatt's barn yard; and just at that 

 moment their leader happening to sound his bugle-note, our Goose, in 

 whom its new habits and enjoyments had not quite extinguished the love 

 of liberty, and remembering the well-known sound, spreads its wings, 

 mounted into the air, joined the travellers, and soon disappeared. In 

 the succeeding autumn the Wild Geese (as was usual) returned from the 

 northward in great numbers, to pass the winter in our bays and rivers. 

 Mr. Piatt happened to be standing in his yard when a flock passed 

 directly over his barn. At that instant, he observed three Geese detach 

 themselves from the rest, and after wheeling round several times, alight 

 in the middle of the yard. Imagine his surprise and pleasure, when by 

 certain well remembered signs, he recognised in one of the three his long 

 lost fugitive. It was she indeed ! She had travelled many hundred 

 miles to the lakes ; had there hatched and reared her ofi"spring ; and 

 had now returned with her little family, to share with them the sweets 

 of civilized life. 



" The truth of the foregoing relation can be attested by many respecta- 

 ble people, to whom Mr. Piatt has related the circumstances as above 

 detailed. The birds were all living, and in his possession, about a year 

 ago, and had shown no disposition whatever to leave him." 



The length of this species is three feet, extent five feet two inches; 

 the bill is black ; irides dark hazel ; upper half of the neck black, 

 marked on the chin and lower part of the head with a large patch of 

 white, its distinguishing character; lower part of the neck before white; 

 back and wing-coverts brown, each feather tipped with whitish ; rump 

 and tail black ; tail coverts and vent white ; primaries black, reaching 

 to the extremity of the tail ; sides pale ashy brown ; legs and feet 

 blackish ash. 



The male and female are exactly alike in plumage. 



Vol. III.— 5 



