236 The Water-fowl Family 



New Jersey, November 20 to December 15, 

 March 7 to April i ; Chesapeake Bay and south, 

 November 15 to March i ; Dakota, Minnesota, 

 and Montana, October 15 to December i, March 

 15 to April 7; Kansas and Nebraska, a little 

 earlier in the spring and later in the fall. South 

 of the United States the bird is not abundant. 



In Massachusetts the small fresh-water lakes 

 near the coast were formerly favorite resorts for 

 Canada geese in spring and late fall, and at the 

 present time many are killed by the clubs now 

 in possession of the best locations. Here trained 

 wild geese are employed and decoying reaches 

 its highest art. Blinds are built in close prox- 

 imity to the club-house, surrounded by a large 

 stand of wooden stools. Just outside of these 

 the live birds are tied. A watcher is on duty 

 day and night. If the honking of a far-off flock 

 is heard, fliers are let loose ; geese that fly within 

 sight of the wild birds, perhaps mingle with them, 

 then returning to the decoys. In this way the 

 entire flock is brought within range and exposed 

 to a merciless fire. 



Along the coast of North Carolina most of the 

 geese in quiet weather spend the day well out of 

 reach offshore, or if much molested in the safe 

 retreat of the ocean, crossing the bars at the inter- 

 vals to feed and drink, at dusk seeking the shelter 

 of the bays. When stormy or windy they remain 



