280 CANADA GOOSE. 



with them to those parts of the marshes over which the wild 

 ones are accustomed to fly; and concealing themselves within 

 gun shot, wait for a flight, which is no sooner perceived by the 

 decoy Geese, than they begin calling aloud, until the whole 

 flock approaches so near as to give them an opportunity of dis- 

 charging two and sometimes three loaded musquets among it, 

 by which great havoc is made. 



The Wild Goose, when in good order, weighs from ten to 

 twelve, and sometimes fourteen pounds. They are sold in the 

 Philadelphia markets at from seventy-five cents to one dollar 

 each; and are estimated to yield half a pound of feathers a piece, 

 which produces twenty-five or thirty cents more. 



The Canada Goose is now domesticated in numerous quarters 

 of the country, and is remarked for being extremely watchful, 

 and more sensible of approaching changes in the atmosphere 

 than the common Gray Goose. In England, France, and Ger- 

 many, they have also been long ago domesticated. Buffon, in 

 his account of this bird, observes, "within these few years 

 many hundreds inhabited the great canal at Versailles, where 

 they breed familiarly with the Swans; they were oftener on the 

 grassy margins than in the water;" and adds, " there is at pre- 

 sent a great number of them on the magnificent pools that de- 

 corate the charming gardens of Chantilly." Thus has America 

 already added to the stock of domestic fowls two species, the 

 Turkey and the Canada Goose, superior to most in size, and 

 inferior to none in usefulness; for it is acknowledged by an 

 English naturalist of good observation, that this last species "is 

 as familiar, breeds as freely, and is in every respect as valuable 

 as the common Goose."* 



The strong disposition of the wounded Wild Geese to migrate 

 to the north in spring, has been already taken notice of. In- 

 stances have occurred where, their wounds having healed, they 

 have actually succeeded in mounting into the higher regions of 

 the air, and joined a passing party to the north; and, extraor- 



* Bewick, v. ii, p. 255. 



