176 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



Their voyage to Hull by the steamers is charged at 18s. 

 per cwt., or about £5 for 300 or 400 birds ; and they are 

 not fed until they are landed, and then with oats. From 

 Hull they are forwarded to central market-towns in 

 railway trucks, each of which is capable of holding 230 

 birds. A small percentage of the more weakly ones die 

 from being trampled on ; and these casualties, with the 

 expense of transit and sale, bring up the price to about 

 3s. 9d., when they are pitched in the market during 

 August and September. The Irish collections are 

 managed on a similar principle. If the goslings are 

 purchased within reasonable distance of Dublin or 

 Dundalk, they are driven to those ports ; and if not, 

 they are sent by rail. Liverpool, like Hull, is quite a 

 "board of supply" for English dealers during the 

 season. 



There is a variety of goose called the snow goose 

 (Anser hyperloreus), which is very general in the northern 

 parts of America and in northern Europe, and is much 

 prized for the delicacy of its flesh Dr. Eichardson says 

 it is much superior to the Canada goose {Bernicla Cana- 

 densis, Lin.) in juiciness and flavour. 



In those countries where the latter abound they are 

 killed in vast numbers by the natives, who pluck and gut 

 them, and without any other preparation bury them in the 

 ground. The earth freezing above them, keeps them 

 perfectly sweet through the severe winter. 



Dr. Richardson tells us that the arrival of the Canada 

 goose in the fur countries is anxiously looked for, and 

 hailed with great joy by the natives of the woody and 

 swampy districts, who depend principally upon it for 

 subsistence during the summer. It makes its appearance 

 in flocks of from twenty to thirty, which are rapidly 

 decoyed within gbnshot, by the hunters, who set up stalls 

 and imitate its call. 



Two, three, or more, are so frequently killed at one 

 shot that the price usually given for a goose is a single 

 charge of ammunition. A Canada goose which, when 

 fat, weighs nine pounds, is the daily ration of one of the 



