ready preparing for their flight northward to 

 Canada, Labrador, and Alaska. Early spring 

 finds them back in their breeding-haunts with 

 nests well under way. Then, by September, the 

 long return flight begins, the flocks passing over 

 the Middle States for a month or more, but all 

 reaching the warm shores of the South before 

 our Northern waters are closed. 



This journey in the spring is a honeymoon 

 trip ; in the fall, a family excursion. The wild 

 geese (this cannot be said of tame ones) are 

 ideally wedded. Nothing of the gobbler's polyg- 

 amy, jealousy, and viciousness is shown by the 

 gander ; the goose does not steal away from him 

 to make her nest. She and he are "engaged " 

 before the spring migration begins. They sail 

 away in company with like lovers to wed and 

 go o£f together as soon as the flock reaches the 

 Northern nesting-meadows. 



Housekeeping for the geese is a particularly 

 serious business. The gander assumes his full 

 share of the trouble. He never shirks nor leaves 

 his mate. Day and night he stands on duty, 

 guarding the mother and the nest— with his life 

 if need be— against all enemies. He even helps 

 [275] 



