THE AMERICAN WILD GOOSE. 239 



About three weeks after their first appearance, the 

 Canada geese disperse in pairs throughout the country, 

 between the 50th and 67th parallels, to breed, retiring at 

 the same time from the shores of Hudson's Bay. They 

 are seldom or never seen on the coasts of the Arctic 

 Sea. In July, after the young birds are hatched, the 

 parents moult, and vast numbers are killed in the rivers 

 and lakes, when, (from the loss of their quill feathers,) 

 they are unable to fly. When chased by a canoe, and 

 obliged to dive frequently, they soon become fatigued, 

 and make for the shore with the intention of hiding 

 themselves, but as they are not fleet they fall an easy 

 prey to their pursuers. In the autumn, they again 

 assemble in flocks on the shores of Hudson's Bay, for 

 three weeks or a month previous to their departure 

 southwards. 



The flight of this species is laborious and heavy, and 

 generally in single file, or in the form of two sides of a 

 triangle, the leader, some old gander, being the apical 

 bird. From time to time this leader utters his deep 

 "honk," which is responded to by the rest of the flock, 

 and which may be translated, " What cheer, ho!" "All's 

 well !" Very often, however, all is not well, for the line 

 is scattered by the withering fire of the gunner ; often, 

 too, they meet with dense fogs in which they become 

 bewildered, and after wheeling about alight on the 

 ground, where the unerring rifleman gives them a 

 warm reception. In some districts, the sportsmen take 

 with them into the marshes one or two of the domes- 

 ticated race, which, by their call note, attract the 

 flocks passing over head, and allure them to des- 

 truction. 



Wilson says, that, except in calm weather, the flocks 

 of Canada geese rarely sleep on the water, generally 

 preferring to roost all night in the marshes. When the 

 shallow bays are frozen, they seek the mouths of inlets 

 near the sea, occasionally visiting the air or breathing 

 holes in the ice; but these bays are seldom so com- 

 pletely frozen as to prevent their feeding on the bars 

 at the entrance 



