442 



LAMKLMIloSTUAl- S\\ IMMKIIM - ANHKUEH. 



this liirtl is verv cxcclli'iit ciitiiih'. iiiul fur Hii|M'ri(ir to tin* Cuiitulii Ooomc in jiiiciiii>sH 

 iiiul tliivor. 'I'lic yoiiii^' (U) not uttaiii to tin- full |)Iiiiiih^o of tlif old bird U>fori> tlh-ir 

 fourth yvav, uiid until that jiciioil they ki't-p in si'iKiratc tlocks. 'I'lu'V aif said tu 

 hav<> liccn nunii-i'ous at Fort Alhanv, in thi> sonthrrn portion of Kudson's Itay, wImti' 

 the old iiirds wt'i'c lan-ly sci'n ; and, on (lie othi'r liand, tht> old Itirds in thfir nii^'ia- 

 tions visit York Factory in Ki'^^iit nundtcrs, i)utal\viiys Mnaocoiu|inni<'d by their younu. 

 Tlu'v a|i]M'ar in the sprinj,' a few days lab r than tlu- <Jiinadu UtH'8»', and ihwh in larp' 

 lliirks Ijoth on the coast and throu^di tlu- inti-iior. 



Ai'cordin^; to till! observations of Mr. JJaraston, tluH Hpi'cit's — known anlon^' tin' 

 Indians as the H'rfols or Ifnfiin — is less conspiiMious in the interior than sonn' 

 other kinds of (ieese. It seldom alijjhts except alon^' the niar^'ins of lar^e lakes 

 and streams, and the grassy ponds of the prairies. Owing to its arrival in such gnat 

 nuiuU-rs, it l>eeonies the first object (d sport in James ilay, and the havoc niadc 

 there is often very great. In tin* fall, when Mocks of tlie young birds ani jiassing 

 siiuthward, it is no uncommon thing b)r a good shot to kill a hundred in a single day. 

 This bird still forms the staple article of food for natives at the All)any Fiu-tory. 

 This is the last of the (Jeese to leave bir tlu! south, its migration taking jthiee in tlic 

 latter part of September. 



These birds are deliberate and judicious, ^fr. Harnston adds, in their i)reiiaratioiis 

 for flight, and make their arrangements in a business-like manner. They cease to 

 feed in the marshes, keepingout with tin; retreating title, and at its How retiring sti|. 

 by stei). continually dressing their feather.s with their fatty oil. They are then ready 

 for the lirst northerly wind which blows; and in twenty-biur hours the coast so lately 

 resonant with their incessant cries, and covered, pat(di-like, with their whitenin;.,' 

 squadrons, is entirely (h'serb'il. 



Iicinhardt states that this species is known as a bird of Greenland by the occiii- 



renct! there of a few stragglers only in immature plumage. It is not known to br 1 



in any part cd' that coast occupied by the Panish .settloments, ami jtrobably does not 

 breed in any part of the island. 



Captain IJlakiston s|)eaks of thi.s Goosc! as being late in its arrival in s]ning, and 

 as dtdaying behind the others id' its family in going south in the autumn, lie roiind 

 it rpiite numerous lioth on Iluilson's Uay and in the west, tracing it as far as the Iiucky 

 Mountains, Mr. b'oss speaks of it as equally abundant on the Maiken/.ie. He was 

 informed by Mr. I'rudeii, a fur-trader, that the father of the latter, living at the Kcd 

 J{iver Settlement, had (h)mesticated a pair of these birds, one <d' which, after a tinic, 

 died. The next fall, as a flock of this species was ]>assing over, one of them .sei>aratcil 

 itself from the others, desctendcd, and took U]) its ipiarters with the tame troosc, 

 remaining there all winter. The following spring, however, it joined its brethnii 

 as thi'y came by, and proceeded nmth. Jn the fall it again returned, rejoining and 

 living with its mate of the former winter: this is said to have In-eii repeated for 

 several years. 



Mr. Audubon's observations enabled him to ascertain that this sjwcies regain ily 

 visits the valley of the >rississippi in October, individuals appearing in the immatmv 

 plumage a fortnight or more before the adult birds arrive. As a general thing tlic 

 flocks of old and young kept apart and did not mingle. This Goose was esi)ecially 

 abundant in the gray jdumage alK)ut the mouth of the Mississipjji, as well as on all 

 the muddy or grassy .shores of the bays and inlets of the (Julf of Mexico. Duriiig 

 the rainy seasons it aboimds among the large imiiries of liOuisiana, feeding on the 

 roots of plants. It is said to be more silent than any other species, randy emittini,' 

 any cvy ex<!ept when pursued after being wounded. Dr. hachiuan kept for several 



