AVES—WILD GOOSE. 661 
fines of the great lakes are equally ignorant with ourselves of the particular 
breedin x places of these birds. There, their journey north is but commenc- 
ing, and hew far it extends it is impossible for us at present to ascertain. 
They were seen by Hearne in large flocks within the arctic circle, and were 
then pursuing their way still farther north. They have been seen, also, on 
the dreary coast of Spitsbergen, feeding on the water’s edge. It is highly 
probable that they extend their migrations under the very pole itself, amid 
the silent desolation of unknown countries, shut out from the eye of man by 
everlasting barriers of ice. That such places abound with suitable food, we 
cannot for a momer.t doubt. 







The flight of the wild geese is heavy and laborious, generally in a straight 
line, or in two lines approximating to a point. In both cases, the van is led 
by an old gander, who every now and then pipes his well known hovwk, as if 
to ask how they come on; and the houk of ‘all’s well,” is generally 
returned by some of the party. When bewildered in foggy weather, they 
appear sometimes to be in great distress, flying about in an irregular man- 
ner, making a great clamor. On these occasions, should they alight on the 
earth, as they sometimes do, they meet with speedy death and destruction. 
The autumnal flight lasts from the middle of August to the middle of Octo- 
ber; the vernal flight from the middle of April to the middle of May. 
Wounded geese have frequently been domesticated, and readily pair with 
tame geese. On the approach of spring, however, they discover symptoms 
of great uneasiness, frequently looking up into the air, and attempting to gu 
off. Some, whose wings have been closely cut, have travelled on foot in a 
northerly direction, and have been found at a distance of several miles from 
56 
