14 CANADA GOOSE. 



while on the coast of Labrador, to see how cunningly one of these birds^ 

 which, in consequence of the moult, was quite unable to fly, managed for 

 a while to elude our pursuit. It was first perceived at some distance from 

 the shore, when the boat was swiftly rowed towards it, and it swam be- 

 fore us with great speed, making directly towards the land ; but when we 

 came within a few yards of it, it dived, and nothing could be seen of it 

 for a long time. Every one of the party stood on tiptoe to mark the spot 

 at which it should rise, but all in vain, when the man at the rudder 

 accidentally looked down over the stern and there saw the goose, its 

 body immersed, the point of its bill alone above water, and its feet busily 

 engaged in propelling it so as to keep pace with the movements of the 

 boat. The sailor attempted to catch it while within a foot or two of him, 

 but with the swiftness of thought it shifted from side to side, fore and aft, 

 until delighted at having witnessed so much sagacity in a goose, I begged 

 the party to sufi*er the poor bird to escape. 



The crossing of the Canada Goose with the common domestic species 

 has proved as advantageous as that of the wild with the tame Turkey, 

 the cross breed being much larger than the original one, more easily raised, 

 and more speedily fattened. This process is at present carried on to a con- 

 siderable extent in our Western and Eastern States, where the hybrids are 

 regularly offered for sale during autumn and winter, and where they bring 

 a higher price than either of the species from which they are derived. 



The Canada Goose makes its first appearance in the western country, 

 as well as along our Atlantic coast, from the middle of September to that 

 of October, arriving in flocks composed of a few families. The young 

 birds procured at this early season soon get into good order, become ten- 

 der and juicy, and therefore affbrd excellent eating. If a sportsman is 

 expert and manages to shoot the old birds first, he is pretty sure to cap- 

 ture the less wily young ones afterwards, as they will be very apt to re- 

 turn to the same feeding places to which their parents had led them at 

 their first arrival. To await their coming to a pond where they are known 

 to feed is generally effectual, but to me this mode of proceeding never 

 afforded much pleasure, more especially because the appearance of any 

 other bird which I wished to obtain would at once induce me to go after 

 it, and thus frighten the game, so that I rarely procured any on such oc- 

 casions. But yet, as I have witnessed the killing of many a fine goose, I 

 hope you will suffer me to relate one or two anecdotes connected with the 

 shooting of this kind of game. 



