W H I T E G R O U S. ^ 311 



They are an excellent food, and much fearched after by the Eu- 

 ropeans in Hudfon's Bay, They are generally as tame as chickens, 

 efpecially in a mild day : fometimes they are rather wild; but by 

 being driven about, or fliot at with powder, they grow fo weary, 

 by the fhort flights they take, as foon to become very tame again. 

 Sometimes the hunters, when they lee the birds likely to take a long 

 flight, imitate the crying of a Hawk, which intimidates them fo 

 much, that they inftantly fettle. When the female is killed, the 

 male can fcarcely be forced from the body of its mate*. < 



The ufual method of taking them is in nets made of twine, twen- 

 ty feet fquare, faftened to four poles, and fupported in front in a 

 perpendicular diredion with flicks. A long line is faftened to thefe 

 props, the end of which is held by a perfon who lies concealed at a 

 difl:ance. Several people are then employed to drive the birds within 

 reach of the net, which is then pulled down, and often covers at 

 one haul fifty or feventy. At this time they are fo plentiful, that 

 ten thoufand are taken for the ufe of the fettlement from November 

 to the end of J-pr'tl. In former days, they mufl have been infinite- 

 ly more numerous j for Sir Thomas Button relates, that when he 

 wintered there in 16 12, he took eighteen hundred dozens of thefe 

 and other fowl f : but this is a trifle to the fuccefsof M. Jeremie, who 

 aflferts, that there were eaten in one winter, between himfelf and 

 feventy-nine others, ninety thoufand Grous, and twenty-five thou- 

 fand Rabbets J. 



The Laplanders take them by forming a hedge with the boughs of 

 birch-trees j leaving fmalT openings at certain intervals, and hang in 

 each a fnare. The birds are tempted to come and feed on the buds 

 orcatkinsof the birch; and whenever they endeavour to pafs through 

 the openings they are inftantly caught. 



• Faun. Croenl. p. 117. f Quoted in North-ivefi Fex, 228, 



X Recueil de Voy, au Nord. iii. 344. 



ROCK 



