62 DUCK SHOOTING. 



the rest of the stand were kept. The superintendent of 

 the club had heard the goose calHng for several days 

 and recognized his voice, and after considerable search 

 found him in one of the little leads in the island. 



The flight of the wild goose is firm, swift and steady. 

 The birds commonly fly in a V or triangle, though 

 sometimes they spread out into a great crescent whose 

 convexity is directed forward. 



The alertness and wariness of this bird have become 

 proverbial, and when at rest, either on the land or 

 water, it is particularly watchful and difficult of ap- 

 proach. Geese are exceedingly gregarious, and where 

 a flock is resting on the water all birds passing near 

 them are likely to lower their flight, and after making 

 one or two circles in the air, to join the resting birds. 

 For this reason, when flying alone or in companies of 

 two or three, the goose may often be called up to 

 wooden decoys by an imitation of its cry. Where geese 

 are abundant it is exceedingly common for the gunners 

 to call such single birds to within gunshot. 



In windy weather the geese, when their flight obliges 

 them to face the gale, fly low, and often barely top the 

 reeds of the marshes among which they are wintering. 

 In foggy weather, or when snow is falling, they also 

 fly low, keeping close to the water, apparently looking 

 for a place in which to alight. At such times they come 

 to decoys with especial readiness. Sometimes in foggy 

 weather, when flying over the land, they seem to be- 

 come confused and fly about in circles, as if they had 

 quite lost their way. 



