THE BKENT GOOSE. 147 



but not to be distinguished from it by any mark of the 

 plumage ; the young birds have the- wing quill feathers 

 broadly tipped with white, while in the old birds they 

 are purely black. 



There is a variety of this fine goose, pretty well known 

 on Long Island, the true name of which is Hutchins' 

 Goose, or Hutchins' Brant ; it is somewhat smaller, and 

 in lieu of the lateral white throat patches, has a white 

 gorget a good deal similar to that of the Canada Goose. 



We now come to the modes of killing this delicious 

 bird, of which there are four ; three of them, me judice, 

 utterly unallowable, cockney and pot-hunter like, and the 

 fourth unhappily the least profitable to the gunner, 

 although the Brent Goose has one habit which may be 

 used to some advantage in this the only legitimate mode. 



That mode is the scooping out a niche from the muddy 

 side of some island, or point of hassock, kussick, or thatch, 

 as it is called in the bays, and therein mooring a skiff, or 

 Egg Harbor boat, with its decks heaped with trash and 

 sea-weeds, the gunner lying on his back therein, with his 

 two heavy guns prepared for a passing flock, and hi?, 

 decoys scattered over the calm waters in front of him, 

 when i/ a flock chance to pass, and, observing the 

 anchored deceits, wheel down to them, he is secure at 

 once of sport, and of after excitement in pursuing and 

 picking up the cripples. 



The disadvantages to this method are the following: 

 First, the Brant is on our waters a lazy, inactive bird, 



