BRANT GOOSE. 81 



October, arriving in large flocks and congregating in 

 chosen localities, sometimes in immense numbers. They 

 fly in compact masses in a desultory sort of way, not 

 very rapidly nor under any especial leader, and when in 

 winter quarters rarely move far in any direction, and 

 often return to the place from which they started. It has 

 a peculiar guttural note, which is frequently uttered, re- 

 sembling car-r-r-rup, or r-r-r-rouk, or r-r-rup, and with 

 a rolling intonation, and, when a large number of these 

 birds are gathered together, the noise they make is in- 

 cessant and deafening. I have been in the vicinity of a 

 bar on which were congregated many thousands of 

 Brant, and their voices made such a din that it was diffi- 

 cult to hear one's own in speaking, and when they rose 

 at the report of a gun, the sound of their myriad wings 

 was as the roar of rushing waters. 



This Goose is usually very gentle, and when not much 

 hunted pays little attention to man's presence. The 

 birds come readily to decoys and are easily turned from 

 their course by imitating their note, or by raising one 

 leg or a hat in the air. As soon as their attention is 

 attracted they swing around, and come to the decoys o.n 

 motionless wings, in irregular, broken lines, uttering 

 their rolling note, and if permitted, will settle down 

 among their wooden counterfeits and commence to feed. 

 I have known them try to alight upon the wings of my 

 battery when I was in it, and the attending boat close by 

 with sail up. They are easily killed, not nearly so tena- 

 cious of life as many Water Fowl, and, as they cannot 

 dive, a wounded Brant is readily retrieved. It will skulk 

 like other Geese with head and neck flat upon the water, 

 and paddle away with all its might dead to windward, 

 but it does not go very fast, and, if seen, is soon over- 

 taken. 



