ANSERIN.E — THE GEESE — BERNICLA. 



461 



• exaniple.s, 



uiiu. 



tions in the 



s geiigraph- 

 ius, or to an 



9, 226. 



, but lai^^er. 

 idiuj,' alonj^ 

 [lottoil with 

 lit of hruast 

 hroail while 

 diblu, above 



acinj,' bUick, 

 lid to lower 



y.v, with the 

 )lc is white, 

 consider it a 

 ■ six." 



e of Koi'tli 

 iim the At- 



bvocds in 

 tluH' south 



north. 



to a high 



I'ds on all 

 tlu' farina- 

 oodod and 

 <j; the Kuni- 

 ly decoyod 

 LH after its 



ing at the 

 ir nortli as 



ichardson, 



t nnmhers 

 chased by 

 uid makes 

 autumn it 

 its depar- 

 aees, some 

 ;he spring. 

 5ome pairs 



were found breeding in trees, depositing their eggs in the deserted nests of Kavens 

 and Fish-hawks. Its call is iuiitated by a prolonged nasal pronunciation of the 

 syllable wool; frcijuently repeated. 



Viv. George Barnstou states that this species — the largest of any of the CJeese 

 visiting Hudson's Hay — is almost always the earliest in its arrival. At first unly a 

 single straggler appears ; then two or three together, soon to be followed by a contin- 

 lums tiock of fresh immigrants. These are the advance-guard of the serried legions 

 of other Waterfowl, and they soon spread themselves over the whole breadth of the 

 continent. In its disposition this species has less of wildness than the Snow Goose. 

 It hatches in (piiet covuers, where there is still water, and grass and rushes to aiford 

 it sustenance. It is at home in the wooded country as well as in the extensive 

 marshes of the sea-coast, and on the Barrens of the Eskimo lands. During the winter 

 it takes refuge in the oi)en water of more southern regions, although ilr. Earnstou 

 saw a small Hock of this species in the open current of water aljove Lachine, near 

 Montreal, in the month of January or February. Before Oregon was settled, the 

 Tost at ]'\)rt Vancouver was sup[)lied with these Geese in immense nundiers. 



Captain Ulakistou gives as the range of this sjiecies in the territory of the 

 Hudson's 15ay Company, from the Bay to the Kocky Mountains, as far north as the 

 Arctic Ocean. He found that it was the earliest of the Geese, appearing at Fort 

 Carlton as early as ^larch 28, and remaining there as late as Novcnd)er 3. It is not 

 restricted in its breeding-grounds to the Far North, as he discovered a nest with four 

 eggs between the north and south branches of the Saskatchewan on the 4th of May. 

 It also occurs west of the Kocky IMountaius, and Mr. E. Browne gives it as one of the 

 common liirds of Vancouver Island. 



l[earne, in the "Narrative of his Journey to the Northern Ocean" (j). 4.37), desig- 

 nates this species as the common Gray Goose, while he gives the name of Canada (loose 

 to the /ienilrla Ihitchiiis). He also states that tliis l)ird precedes every otiier in the 

 Hudson's Bay regicm, and that in some early springs it is seen on Churchill Kiver as 

 soon as the latter end of April, although more comnioidy arriving l)etween the 11th 

 and the IGtli of ^lay. In one year it did not uudce its appearance until the liGth of 

 May. At their first arrival these birds generally come in ])iiirs, and are readily 

 decoyed by cries imitating their notes, so that they are easily shot. They breed 

 in great numbers in the plains and marshes near Churchill Biver; and in .some 

 years the young ones are taken in considerable numbers, and arc easily tamed ; 

 they will, however, never learn to eat corn unless some of the old ones are taken 

 with them. 



Mr. Hearne adds tliat on the 9th of August, 1781, when residing at Fort Prince of 

 Wales, he sent a party of Indians in canoes up Churchill Biver to procure some of 

 these Geese. In the afternoon they were seen coming down the river driving a large 

 flock before them, the young ones not more than half grown, and the old ones so far 

 advanced in moulting as to be incapable of flying. The whole flock, to the number 

 of forty-one, Avas driven within the stockade wiiicli incloses the fort, where they were 

 fattened for winter use. Wild Geese fattened in this way are preferable, in his 

 opinion, to any others. When full grown, and in good condition, this bird often 

 weighs twelve pounds. 



According to Dr. Cooper this is not a very common Goose in California, though 

 some are sold in the market every winter. He met with a few in January near Fort 

 IMojave, but saw none at San I)i(>go. By its large size and sonorous honk-honk, 

 uttered as it flies, this bird may readily be distinguished from other species, even 

 at a considerable distance. It is nuich more southern in its range than the other 



t^ 



m 





. ■ f. 



