84 BIRDS 



young across the prairie not far from open water. I has- 

 tened toward the group, when the old birds rose and flew 

 toward me, flapping about my head in a threatening man- 

 ner; a bird with such strength of wings is capable of putting 

 up quite a fight. As I stood watching the antics of old 

 birds, the goslings reached the lake and swam rapidly from 

 shore. It was an impressive sight to see these two naturally 

 shj' birds so fearless of man in their efforts to protect their 

 offspring. 



[Many geese do not breed until they are two years old, 

 which fact may explain the presence of small flocks in 

 breeding season in temperate regions where they are not 

 kno^\Ti to nest. I have six large white eggs of the Canada 

 goose, taken in Illinois some years ago, when a few still 

 nested along the JMississippi. The nest was placed on the 

 ground at the edge of a little pond not far from the " Father 

 of Waters." 



On the lakes of Manitoba, these birds construct their 

 huge nests on the islands in company with herring gulls and 

 cormorants. The nests are composed of weeds and debris, 

 warmly lined with down from the brea^i of the parent. 



THE BLACK BRANT OR BRANT GOOSE* 



The Black Brant, or the Brant Goose, as it is frequently 

 called, is not the brant of the Atlantic coast, but a western 

 bird, ranging from Lower California to the Arctic region 

 of North America. On the Atlantic coast it appears only 

 as a casual visitor, and it is not found in the interior. It 

 makes its summer home in very high latitudes and on the 



