60 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



inhabitants that a few stragglers remain with them during 

 summer, 



" This species is not the origin of the Domestic Goose, as is 

 by some supposed, the genealogy of which is said to be traced 

 to the Bean Goose* of Europe." — Giraud's Birds of Long Island. 



" This is the common Wild Goose of the United States, uni- 

 versally known over the whole country, whose regular periodical 

 migi'ations are the sure signals of returning spring, or approach- 

 ing winter. The tracts of the vast migratory jouraeys are not 

 confined to the seacoast, or its vicinity. In their aerial passage 

 to and fi-om the North, these winged pilgrims pass over the in- 

 terior on both sides of the mountains, as far West, at least, as 

 the Osage River ; and I have never yet visited any quarter of 

 the country, where the inhabitants are not familiarly acquainted 

 with the regular passing and repassing of Wild Geese. The 

 general opinion here is, that they are on the way to the lakes 

 to breed ; but the inhabitants on the confines of the great lakes 

 that separate us from Canada, are equally ignorant with our- 

 selves of the particular breeding-places of these birds. There 

 the journey North is but commencing, and how far it extends, it 

 is impossible for us at present to ascertain, from our little ac- 

 quaintance with those frozen regions. They were seen by 

 Hearne in large flocks within the arctic circle, and were then 

 pursuing their way still further North. Captain Phipps speaks 

 of seeing Wild Geese feeding at the water's edge on the dreary 

 coast of Spitsbergen, in lat. 80°, 27'. It is highly probable that 

 they extend their migrations under the very Pole itself, amid 

 the silent desolations of unknown countries, shut out since cre- 

 ation to the prying eye of man by everlasting and insuperable 

 barriers of ice. That such places abound with suitable food, 

 we cannot for a moment doubt, while the absence of the great 

 destroyer, rain, and the splendor of a perpetual dry May, ren- 

 der such regions the most suitable for their purpose. Having 



* Not to the Bean Goose but to the Gray-lag, commonly known as the Wild 

 Goose — Vote sauvase. 



