266 WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 



notably in Nebraska and Dakota, are found in plenty, 

 mingling in profusion, and associating with Brant, 

 Canada Geese and Hutchin's Geese, with fraternal 

 affection. Their habits are quite similar to the 

 habits of other wild geese ; the food, the same ; and 

 they may often be seen on sand bars, in the low slug- 

 gish rivers, in the open lakes of Dakota and Nebraska, 

 forming conspicuous objects, as they show up so clearly 

 in the bright sunlight, their snowy white pencilled off 

 by the glossy black on their wings, making a pretty sight 

 when brought into contrast with dull bars, drifting 

 sand, barren pastures, or the dark, upturned broken 

 prairie. When the Canadas leave the rivers and lakes 

 and fly heavily over fields and prairies, going to and re- 

 turning from their feeding grounds, the pure white 

 ones, similar to tame geese, will rise and go with them, 

 sometimes lead the horde of departing geese, and 

 rising to considerable height, much higher than their 

 cousins, will fill the air with shrieking, discordant 

 sounds, carrying to the ears of the onlooker most dismal 

 and wretched cries. When in air, they are continual 

 gossips, and could an interpretation be made of the 

 language used, judging its purport by the tone it is 

 uttered, they must be guilty of the most deliberate and 

 malicious slander, probably against their slow-moving 

 neighbors, the Canadas, possibly, against the human- 

 race, at any rate, one feels justified in classing them 

 as common scolds. They will not decoy well, and 

 when they come within 60 or 75 yards of the hunter 

 who is concealed in his " pit," he should let drive at 

 them, trusting the result to cool aim and a close-shoot- 

 ing, hard-hitting gun. 



When sitting in stubble field or open prairie, they 



