OF THE BIRDS AND LARGER FISHES 25 



nearly darkened the air, in September, feeding on 

 the numerous berries, and returned south in October. 

 The last three years they have almost disappeared. 

 The settlers say that, owing to their depredations on 

 the American cornfields, poisoned wheat was laid 

 out for them, and this led to their wholesale destruc- 

 tion. Their annual visit can be ill spared indeed. 



Perhaps one should mention next the Canada 

 goose. Great numbers of these breed near the great 

 lakes or ponds. They are largely graminivorous, 

 and therefore do not combine the flavours of fish and 

 flesh, which we find so unpleasant in the gulls and 

 divers. It is usual, however, to catch these when 

 young, and confine them in bounds, for in this way 

 not only is the flesh rendered much sweeter to the 

 palate, but since they grow very tame, they are used 

 as decoys for other geese. One man last year an- 

 chored out by one leg his tame decoy goose, and so 

 shot no less than thirty other geese. But, in his 

 anxiety for more, unwittingly left his pet too long 

 in the water, with the result that it died of cold ; 

 and so the goose with the golden or in this case 

 " feathered " eggs was lost. It shows these birds 

 do feel the cold. It is not waste to shoot a hundred 

 geese the same day, for it is only necessary to hang 

 them up in rows outside the house on nails, and they 

 will remain frozen and fresh all winter. 



Both eider ducks and the king eiders abound on 

 the coast. In huge flocks early in November they 

 come to the south' ard, generally with a north-east 



