SNOW GOOSE. 563 
derson for instance, they are unsuspicious, and therefore easily procured. 
In a half-dry half-wet pond, running across a large tract of land, on the 
other side of the river, in the State of Indiana, and which was once my 
property, I was in the habit of shooting six or seven of a-day. This, 
however, rendered the rest so wild, that the cunning of any ‘ Red Skin” 
might have been exercised without success upon them ; and I was sorry 
to find that they had the power of communicating their sense of danger 
to the other flocks which arrived. On varying my operations however, 
and persevering for some time, I found that even the wildest of them 
now and then suffered ; for having taken it into my head to catch them 
in large traps, I tried this method, and several were procured before 
the rest had learned to seize the tempting bait in a judicious manner. 
The Snow Goose affords good eating when young and fat; but the 
old Ganders are tough and stringy. Those that are procured along 
the sea-shores, as they feed on shell-fish, fry and marine plants, have 
arank taste, which, however suited to the palate of the epicure, I never 
could relish. 
The flight of this species is strong and steady, and its migrations 
over the United States are performed at a considerable elevation, by 
regular flappings of the wings, and a disposition into lines similar to 
that of other Geese. It walks well, and with rather elevated steps; 
but on land its appearance is not so graceful as that of our common 
Canada Goose. Whilst with us they are much more silent than any 
other of our species, rarely emitting any cries unless when pursued on 
being wounded. They swim buoyantly, and, when pressed, with speed. 
When attacked by the White-headed Eagle, or any other rapacious 
bird, they dive well for a short space. At the least appearance of 
danger, when they are on land, they at once come close together, shake 
their heads and necks, move off in a contrary direction, very soon take 
to wing, and fly to a considerable distance, but often return after a 
time. 
I am unable to inform you at what age the Snow Goose attains its 
pure white plumage, as I have found that a judgment formed from in- 
dividuals kept in confinement is not to be depended upon. In one in- 
stance at least, a friend of mine who had kept a bird of this species 
four years, wrote to me that he was despairing of ever seeing it become 
pure white. Two years after, he sent me much the same message : 
