200 GEESE. 



and the weather is windy to make them fly low. Before 

 you fire at them, spring suddenly up, and these awkward 

 birds will be in such a fright as to hover together, and 

 present a mark like a barn door. 



COMMON WILD GOOSE, GREYLAG. Anas anserL'oie sauvage. 



This, for the market or table, is a far inferior bird to 

 the Bernacle, or even the Brent goose, and has but 

 little to recommend it further than the pleasure of kill- 

 ing it. The common GRAY wild geese may be always 

 distinguished by their flying in a figure. These birds, 

 instead of repairing to the coast, like other geese, prefer 

 keeping inland, where they feed on the green wheat by 

 day, and in the flooded water meadows at night. Wild 

 geese, when feeding by day, take care to choose an open 

 plain. You have therefore no means of getting near 

 them, unless they are very tired, from having just 

 arrived after a long flight. I have once or twice, how- 

 ever, got shots at them by taking one of the horses from 

 a plough-team, and walking under cover of him, with 

 a large gun. Some use a stalking-horse, the skin of a 

 cow, and various other contrivances ; which, after all, 

 seldom answer for geese, although they may for golden 

 plover, and other less artful birds. The surest way, 

 therefore, to kill them, is to let any one, who works in 

 the water meadows, ascertain what parts they have used 

 (which he will see by their dung and feathers), and then 

 wait for them at dusk, in some ambush, that commands 

 the fresh places adjoining. Contrive, if possible, to get 

 the line of a dyke or drain, so as to take their company 

 on the flank. 



Let the man who goes after geese, or any wild birds 

 jn the snow, dress as ivhite as he can, and take a white 



