Canada Goose 



181 



companies always have sentinels out, who warn the flock at the first show of 

 danger. They arrive from the south at their summer homes in flocks of varying 

 size, and remain in company for some weeks, then break up into pairs and pro- 

 ceed to the business of rearing their young. After the nesting season is over the 



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'fi 



FIG. 59 



Canada Goose, Branta canadensis . 



moult takes place, and being then unable to fly the birds are often destroyed in 

 great numbers. They have been partially domesticated, but unless the wing is 

 cut are liable to be allured by passing wild birds. 



There are a number of well-marked subspecies, which are thought by some 

 to be entitled to full specific rank, among them Hutchins's Goose (B. c. hutchinsii), 

 which closely resembles the Canada Goose in color, but is uniformly smaller. 

 It breeds in Arctic and sub-Arctic America, coming south in winter through the 

 United States and northeastern Asia. The White-cheeked Goose ( B. c. occidenta- 

 lis] may be known by the very dark coloration, the size being about that of 

 Hutchins's Goose. Its breeding grounds are on the northwest coast of North 

 America, north to Sitka, and it comes south in winter to California. Similar 

 but not much larger than a Mallard Duck is the Cackling Goose (B. c. minima), 

 which is also found on the Pacific coast, chiefly about the lower Yukon and the 

 shores of Norton Sound ; in winter it visits California. 



