Goose-shooting 2 1 5 



blind was right in their line, and they came on, 

 low down, over the water, nearer and nearer; 

 finally fifty or more seemed directly over us, so 

 close we could see their red bills and legs. This 

 was the chance : back to back we raked them, 

 four barrels ; three birds fell on one side, two on 

 the other. The reports started all the wild fowl 

 in the country. In a few minutes part of the 

 first flock came over us from the opposite direc- 

 tion, and two dropped. A flock of geese swung 

 in range over the dead birds, and we killed two 

 more. For an hour the shots were frequent, but 

 the birds became wiser every minute, and kept 

 to the middle of the lake or else came over the 

 blind out of range. We picked up eighteen, 

 a dozen white, the rest white-fronted all one 

 Mexican could pack on a horse. 



THE GEESE 

 (Anserina) 



The geese are the largest water-fowl we often 

 see in eastern North America, and even they are 

 seldom found except in certain localities. Their 

 necks and legs are longer than those of the ducks 

 and mergansers, and the bill, though somewhat 

 like that of a duck, is shorter, higher at base, and 

 more fleshy, with a larger nail at the tip. They 

 agree with the ducks and mergansers in having 

 the space between the eye and the bill covered 



