98 GEESE 



slipped quietly in, and swam off rapidly, honking loudly. When within 

 about forty feet of the nest, and still trying to make my way along the ir- 

 regular and treacherous ice-chunks, I noted that the tone of the male 

 changed a little and suddenly the female sprang from the nest and flew 

 to her mate. In the nest were now three eggs. The nest was a broad 

 cup, about five inches deep, which appeared to me to have been in use 

 for several seasons. It was situated almost in the center of the island, 

 and was not sheltered in the slightest by any stone or vegetation. . . . On 

 returning to this nest the following day, I found no male standing guard. 

 After wading out through water waist-deep (the ice had now broken 

 up) I found that herring gulls had eaten the eggs and strewn the down 

 of the nest all over the islet. I am inclined to think that the gulls robbed 

 the nest shortly after I frightened the geese away. . . . 



"On June 18 at the head of South Bay we found fifty-seven nests, 

 all on islands in shallow lakes. Many of these were so close together as to 

 suggest a sort of colony. In one small lake there were three nests, one on 

 each of the only islands available. In several lakes there were two islands, 

 each with a nest; but nowhere did we see two nests on one island. . . . 



"The first young birds were seen on July 14. On this date I found 

 one nest with only two eggs, one of which was just hatching, and several 

 newly-hatched broods of five and six young with their parents. The old 

 birds were frantic when I bore down upon their broods; they flopped 

 about in the water, simulated diving, honked loudly, and trailed oft, as 

 if wounded. Sometimes they came up to within a few feet of me and lay 

 gasping as if at the point of death. The young, which kept up a feeble 

 cheeping, swam well, but dived poorly. When first frightened they all 

 disappeared under water. When they came up a second or two later 

 they were short of breath; and the next time they tried to dive they 

 could not get under, but stuck their heads down and paddled along as 

 best they could, their big feet kicking out comically. When I walked 

 away from one of the broods, the male bird escorted me, half running 

 and half flying. Sometimes he lay on his side and simulated a crippled 

 condition; then again he rose and flew along with his legs trailing. He 

 led me thus fully half a mile. . . . 



"The eggs, which number from two to six, are laid daily, after the 

 set is begun. The first eggs are usually laid about June 15. If we may 

 infer that most of the nests hold full, fresh sets by June 19, and that in 

 most cases the young hatch about July 15, the period of incubation must 

 be about 27 or 28 days. . . . [The eggs are dull white in colour, are 

 similar to those of the Common Canada Goose, and average 3.14 by 2.04 

 inches, determined by one set of eggs in the Carnegie Museum.] 



"The principal enemy of this little goose is probably the Eskimo, 

 who kills the adult birds for food and gathers the eggs all through the 

 summer, taking them all whether 'good' or 'bad.' The herring gull de- 

 stroys a good many eggs, too, as do also the jaegers to a lesser extent. The 

 Arctic fox does not get many eggs, because the nests are built on islands." 



