180 ANAS CANADENSIS. 



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, 

 " thece is at present a great number of them on the 

 magnificent pools that decorate 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. Instances 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, extraordinary as it may appear, 

 I am well assured by the testimony of several respec- 

 table persons, who have been eye-witnesses to the fact, 

 that they have been also known to return again in the 

 succeeding autumn to their former habitation. These 

 accounts are strongly corroborated by a letter which I 

 some time ago received from an obliging correspondent 

 at New York; which I shall here give at large, 

 permitting him to tell his story in his own way, and 

 conclude my history of this species : 



" Mr Platt, a respectable farmer on Long Island, 

 being out shooting in one of the bays which, in that 

 part of the country, abound with water-fowl, wounded 

 a wild goose. Being wing-tipped, and unable to fly, he 

 caught it, and brought it home alive. It proved to be 

 a female ; and, turning it into his yard, with a Hock of 

 tame geese, it soon became quite tame and familiar, 

 and in a little time its wounded wing entirely healed. 

 In the following spring, when the wild geese migrate 

 to the northward, a flock passed over Mr Platt's barn 

 yard ; and, just at that moment, their leader happening 



* BEWICK, vol. ii, p. 255. 



