CANADA GOOSE-SHOOTING. 293 
They arrive in large numbers, from the first to the 
middle of November, and only leave when frozen rivers 
and snow-covered ground warns them to depart. They 
roost on the sand bars in the Platte River. At dawn 
of day they fly out to their feeding grounds, return to 
the river about ten A. M., sit idly on the bars, picking up 
gravel, or asleep, until three or four in the afternoon ; 
then go to the fields again for feed, stay till sundown, 
then come back to the river, where they remain till morn- 
ing. This performance is gone through with day after 
day, always without variance. So regular are they on 
their arrival and departure that after timing them for 
two or three days, one could set one’s watch by the 
flight of these birds, and could safely wager on its 
being within fifteen minutes of standard time. When 
they are ready to start out to feed, they first show un- 
easiness in their movements, a few sharp honks of the 
ganders calls “attention, company!” Then after pre- 
liminary flapping of wings by some, one flock will leave, 
soon another, then another at short intervals, until the 
bar is deserted. The first flock sets the course, and 
the balance fly nearly as possible over the same route. 
The hunter knows this and hides himself in the grass, 
in the corn, or behind a fence, and gets flight shooting. 
The birds are ever on the watch, avoid corn fields and 
grassy spots when they can, and will almost invariably 
rise In their flight when going over a fence. Windy 
days are best for shooting. The hunter should 
choose a day when they will fly against a strong head 
wind, going or returning from their feeding grounds. 
At such times they fly low and are easily shot. 
There is a peculiarity about their feeding; that is, 
where they go to feed. They will fly from the river, 
