204 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



silent desolation of unknown countries, shut out since 

 creation from the prying eye of man by everlasting and 

 insuperable barriers of ice." It is not unlikely that this 

 somewhat flighty passage suggested to a late high- 

 flying projector the possibility of reaching that long- 

 desired goal in a balloon drawn by Wild Geese trained 

 for the purpose. 



The passage of the Geese to the north commences 

 with the breaking up of the ice, their first appearance 

 in Canada and on the shores of Hudson's Bay varying 

 with the forwardness of the spring, from the middle of 

 April to the latter end of May. Their flight is heavy 

 and laborious, but moderately swift, in a straight line 

 when their number is but few, but more frequently in 

 two lines meeting in a point in front. The van is said 

 to be alw^ays led by an old gander, in whose wake the 

 others instinctively follow. But should his sagacity fail 

 in discovering the land-marks by which they usually 

 steer, as sometimes happens in foggy weather, the whole 

 flock appear in the greatest distress, and fly about in 

 an irregular manner, making a great clamour. In their 

 flights they cross indiscriminately over land or water, 

 differing in this respect from several other Geese, which 

 prefer making a circuit by water to traversing the land. 

 They also pass far inland, instead of confining their 

 course to the neighbourhood of the sea. 



So important is the arrival of the Geese to the inha- 

 bitants of these northern regions, that the month in 

 which they first make their appearance is termed by 

 the Indians, as we are informed by Pennant, the Goose 

 Moon. In fact not only the Indians, but the English 

 settlers also, depend greatly upon these birds for their 

 subsistence, and many thousands of them are annually 

 killed, a large proportion of which are salted and bar- 

 relled for winter consumption. Many too that are killed 



