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LESSER SNOW GOOSE 



Tame Wild Geese 



By WALTER K. FISHER 

 With photographs by the author 



iHE article entitled 'Tame Wild Ducks,' 

 in March -April Bird -Lore, suggests 

 the recording of another and more re- 

 markable illustration of the susceptibility of 

 wild fowl to the lures of food and protection. 

 During a visit from my father, Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher, last winter, Mr. Joseph Mailliard took 

 us to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, San 

 Francisco. This park is on the western border 

 of the city, and the lake is a small body of 

 water, a part of which is in the form of a ring, 

 from the presence of a large hilly island near 

 the center. One end of the pond is fenced 

 off, so that boats are not permitted to enter. 

 Here the water-birds congregate in greatest 

 numbers. 



We visited the lake first on January 3, and found the water dotted with 

 many Coots and Ducks, while along the banks numbers of Wild Geese 

 sauntered like barn -yard fowl. Through Mr. Mailliard 's foresight we were 

 fully armed with bread, which attracted a horde of Coots or Mud-hens 

 {Fulica americana) to our feet. At the first indication of food they raced 

 toward us from all directions, creating a great commotion among the 

 Ducks, which were 

 resting or leisurely 

 feeding at a slight 

 distance from shore. 

 Among the Ducks 

 were Shovellers, 

 Mallards, Baldpates, 

 American Scaups, 

 Lesser Scaups, Can- 

 vas-backs, Buffle- 

 neads, Golden -eyes 

 and Ruddies. The 

 first were by far the 

 most numerous. 

 Mr. Mailliard se- 

 cured some good 

 snap-shots of an 



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WHITE-CHEEKED GOOSE 



193 



