CANADA GOOSE-SHOOTING. 293 



They arrive in large numbers, from the first to the 

 middle of November, and only leave when frozen rivers 

 and snow-covered ground warns them to depart. They 

 roost on the sand bars in the Platte River. At dawn 

 of day they fly out to their feeding grounds, return to 

 the viver about ten A. M., sit idly on the bars, picking up 

 gravel, or asleep, until three or four in the afternoon; 

 then go to the fields again for feed, stay till sundown, 

 then comeback to the river, where they remain till morn- 

 ing. This performance is gone through with day after 

 day, always without variance. So regular are they on 

 their arrival and departure that after timing them for 

 two or three days, one could set one's watch by the 

 flight of these birds, and could safely wager on its 

 being within fifteen minutes of standard time. When 

 they are ready to start out to feed, they first show un- 

 easiness in their movements, a few sharp honks of the 

 ganders calls " attention, company ! " Then after pre- 

 liminary flapping of wings by some, one flock will leave r 

 soon another, then another at short intervals, until the 

 bar is deserted. The first flock sets the course, and 

 the balance fly nearly as possible over the same route. 

 The hunter knows this and hides himself in the grass,, 

 in the corn, or behind a fence, and gets flight shooting. 

 The birds are ever on the watch, avoid corn fields and 

 grassy spots when they can, and will almost invariably 

 rise in their flight when going over a fence. Windy 

 days are best for shooting. The hunter should 

 choose a day when they will fly against a strong head 

 wind, going or returning from their feeding grounds. 

 At such times they fly low and are "easily shot. 



There is a peculiarity about their feeding ; that is, 

 where they go to feed. They will fly from the river,. 



