30 WILD GOOSE. 



to the sight, from their distance above. On the 

 ground they always arrange themselves in a line, and 

 seem to descend rather for rest than refreshment ; 

 for, having continued in this manner for an hour or 

 two, one of them, with a long loud note, sounds a 

 kind of signal, to which the rest always punctually 

 attend, and, rising in a group, they pursue their 

 journey with alacrity. Their flight is conducted with 

 singular regularity : they always proceed either in a 

 line a-breast, or in two lines joining in an angle at 

 the middle, like the letter V. In this order they 

 generally take the lead by turns, the foremost falling 

 back in the rear when tired, and the next in station 

 succeeding to his duty. Their track is generally so 

 high that it is almost impossible to reach them from 

 a fowling-piece ; and even when this can be done, 

 they file so equally, that one discharge seldom kills 

 more than a single bird. 



They are very destructive to the growing corn in 

 the fields where they happen to alight in their mi- 

 grations. In some countries they are caught at such 

 times in long nets, to which they are enticed by 

 tame Geese placed there for the purpose. Other 

 schemes are contrived to take them ; but as they are 

 very vigilant, feed only in the day-time, and betake 

 themselves to the water at night, the fowler must 

 exert his utmost care and ingenuity in order to ac- 

 complish his ends : all must be planned in the dark, 

 and every trace of suspicion removed ; for nothing 

 can exceed the wary circumspection and acute ear of 

 the sentinel, who, placed on some eminence, with 

 outstretched neck, surveys every thing that moves 



