THE WILD GOOSE. 



By C. E. TinanCNanit"). 



JERHAPS no game bird on the American 

 ^^ Continent is so generally known, and which, 

 in one sense, sportsmen are so little familiar 

 with, as the wild goose. By term ' ' wild 

 goose ' ' I refer to all of the different varieties 

 of the goose family, including the brant. Covering almost 

 every portion of the United States in their migratory 

 flight to the frozen North in the early spring, and to the 

 sunny South with the first signs of cold weather, the 

 "honk! honk! bonk!" of the Canada goose, and the 

 peculiar cries of the other varieties, are recognized by 

 everyone; but rearing their young in the wilderness 

 of the British Possessions, or in the icy fastnesses of the 

 Arctic regions, has made their habits during their breeding 

 season but little known, and the small area of the United 

 States which they frequent during their migratory flights, 

 leaves the great body of sportsmen practically unac- 

 quainted with the methods adapted to the successful 

 pursuit of them. 



In a work of this kind — especially in a chapter neces- 

 sarily limited in its length — it is even quite impossible to 

 enter into a scientific ornithological treatment of the wild 

 goose, even were the writer competent to do so. The 

 naturalist or ornithological student would not be enlight- 

 ened further than what has already been written, and the 

 average reader would be more wearied than entertained. 

 It is my puri)ose to skip as lightly as possible over that 



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