57© GREAT G O O S Ev 



Glades. 



^- r^REAT GOOSE. With a black bill, tawny at the bafe : a>dufk> 

 I body ; white beneath : fcarlet legs. Of a vaft Size, weigh- 



ing near twenty-five or thirty Ruffian pounds. 

 Flace. This fpecies is found in the eaft of Sibiria, from-the Lena to Kami- 



fcbatka : and is taken in great nuaibers, together with the Red-neck- 

 Taken in ED Goose, in glades, as we do Woodcocks in En-gland. The Geefs 

 in the day-time repair to the corn-fields and meadows : in the even- 

 ing refort to the lakes, to v/afh themffclves and pafs the night. Ths 

 Sihirians generally fix on a place where there are two or three lakes 

 near each other, and cut between each an avenue through the thick 

 birch woods of the country* If there is not the advantage of 

 adjacent lakes, the avenue is made through the woods which 

 border the fides of any which the birds frequent. At the en-^ 

 trance of the glades, on each fide, a tall birch-tree is left ftanding, 

 andair their branches ftripped away: from the tops of thefe naked 

 trees is placed a ftrong net, which fills the breadth of the avenue : 

 this net is capable of being dropped or raifed at pleafure, by means 

 of certain long cords which run along the top j and the ends of 

 which are held by a man who conceals himfelf in the high grafs. 

 The Geefe commonly leave. the lakes an hour before fun-rife j and, as 

 they do not chufe to fly high at that feafon, prefer going through 

 the avenues; and with their long extended necks ftrike into the nets^ 

 which are fuddenly dropped ; and twenty, and often more, of the Geefe, 

 are taken at a time. All forts of Ducks^ and other water-fowJ, are- 

 taken in the fame manner *. 



• Pallas'/ Travels, ii. 325, 326. 



Cbimesb 



