WILD GEESE, CRANES, AND SWANS. 201 



latitude before they reach their breeding-places, 

 it may be supposed they cannot stop very long 

 with us in their vernal flights. As to the few 

 which remain all the winter on the Sangamon 

 River and in other wild places where there may 

 be open water, they are too insignificant to count 

 for much. The Canada geese come in their great 

 flocks in February, with the first freshet or open 

 weather, and remain till the middle of March, as 

 a rule, while a few linger along until April comes. 

 They come before any of the ducks, and they go 

 on north before them. The Winnebago Swamp is 

 a great resort for the wild geese. Formerly they 

 used to breed there in considerable numbers, but, 

 of late years their nests in that quarter have been 

 few. They may, however, still be found by those 

 who penetrate into the marshy recess they choose, 

 for their breeding-places. 



When the wild geese arrive in the spring, they 

 are commonly lean, but, after having fed on corn 

 for a little space, they gain flesh and become in 

 good order. A favorite resort of theirs in the. 

 spring is the great pasture-lands. Upon these- 

 thousands of bullocks have been fed all winter on, 

 corn in the ear. Bullocks are wastcfid feeders, and 

 much corn lies shelled around. This the geese. 



