NORTHERN OCEAN 407 



of the coast, and are never seen in the interior parts of the 

 country. In size they are larger than a Mallard Duck, but 

 inferior to the Snow Goose ; and though their flesh appears 

 delicate to the eye, it is not much esteemed. In some years 

 they pass the mouth of Churchill River in prodigious num- 

 bers, and many of them are killed and served to the Com- 

 pany's servants as provisions ; but, as I have just observed, 

 they are not much relished. When migrating to the South, 

 they generally avail themselves of a strong North or North 

 Westerly wind, which makes them fly so swift, that when 

 I have killed four or five at a shot, not one of them fell less 

 than from twenty to fifty yards from the perpendicular spot 

 where they were killed. Like the White, or Snow Geese, 

 when in large flocks they fly in the shape of a wedge, and 

 make a great noise. Their flight is very irregular, sometimes 

 being forty or fifty yards above the water, and in an instant 

 after they skim close to the surface of it, and then rise again 

 to a considerable height ; so that they may justly be said to fly 

 in festoons. 



The DuNTER Geese, ^ as it is called in Hudson's Bay, Dunter Geese. 

 but which is certainly the Eider Duck. They are common 

 at the mouth of Churchill River as soon as the ice breaks 

 up, but generally fly far North to breed ; and the few that 

 do remain near the settlement are so scattered among small 

 islands, and sea-girt rocks and shoals, as to [446] render it 

 not worth while to attempt gathering their down. Their 

 eggs, when found, are exceeding good eating ; and in the 

 Fall of the year the flesh is by no means unpleasant, though 

 they are notoriously known to feed on fish. 



Bean Goose.' This species is seldom found in any part Bean Goose. 



[^ Both Somateria mollissima borealis (Brehm), and S. dresseri Sharpe, 

 occur about the north-west coast of Hudson Bay in summer, and doubtless 

 both breed there. The King Eider also, S. spectabilis (Linn.), migrates down 

 the coast, but probably breeds farther to the north.] 



[^ The Bean Goose, Anse7- fabalis (Latham), is of very doubtful occurrence 

 in the Hudson Bay region.] 



