WILD GEESE 191 



Plucking Feathers. They have a system on this island 

 of plucking the geese for commercial purposes. This is 

 done three or four times a year, beginning about the first 

 of May. All contour feathers, except of the wings, tail, 

 and neck are taken. The average bird yields one third of a 

 pound. The down is left, only feathers being used. The 

 first picking occurs when the geese are tending young. This 

 mostly stops the fighting which always goes on at this time, 

 reducing the strength and pugnacity of the birds, besides 

 making it less easy for combatants to get hold. The first 

 and last pluckings yield the heaviest feathers, those taken 

 in mid-summer being lighter. These operations occur about 

 once every seven weeks. 



