CANADA GOOSE. 5 



lui'king for their prey, and, with head inclined, she glances upwards to 

 the eagle or the givU that are hovering over the water in search of food. 

 A ferocious bird dashes at her young ones ; she instantly plunges beneath 

 the surface, and, in the twinkling of an eye, her brood disappear after 

 her ; now they are among the thick rushes, with nothing above water but 

 their little bills. The mother is marching towards the land, having lisp- 

 ed to her brood in accents so gentle that none but they and her mate can 

 understand their import, and all are safely lodged under cover until the 

 disappointed eagle or gull bears away. 



More than six w^eeks have now elapsed. The down of the goslings, 

 which was at first soft and tufty, has become coarse and hairlike. Their 

 iwings are edged with quills, and their bodies bristled with feathers. They 

 Jiave increased in size, and, living in the midst of abundance, they have 

 become fat, so that on shore they make their way with difficulty, and as 

 they are yet unable to fly, the greatest care is required to save them from 

 their numerous enemies. They grow apace, and now the burning days 

 of August are over. They are able to fly with ease from one shore to 

 another, and as each successive night the hoarfrosts cover the. country, 

 and the streams are closed over by the ice, the family joins that in their 

 neighbourhood, which is also joined by others. At length they spy the 

 advance of a snow-storm, when the ganders with one accord sound the 

 order for their departure. 



After many wide circlings, the flock has risen high in the thin air, and 

 an hour or more is spent in teaching the young the order in which they 

 are to move. But now, the host has been marshalled, and off" it starts, 

 shewing, as it proceeds, at one time an extended front, at another a single 

 lengthened file, and now arraying itself in an angular form. The old 

 males advance in front, the females foljow, the young come in succession 

 according to their strength, the weakest forming the rear. Should one 

 feel fatigued, his position is changed in the ranks, and he assumes a place 

 in the wake of another, who cleaves the air before him ; perhaps the pa- 

 rent bird flies for a while by his side to encourage him. Two, three, or 

 more days elapse before they reach a secure resting place. The fat with 

 which they were loaded at their departure has rapidly wasted ; they are 

 fatigued, and experience the keen gnawings of hunger ; but now they spy 

 a wide estuary, towards which they direct their course. Alighting on the 

 water, they swim to the beach, stand, and gaze around them ; the young 

 full of joy, the old full of fear, for well are they aware that many foes 



