GAME 



BIRDS 



O F 



AMERICA 



CANADA GOOSE 



said to be a victor sometimes over 

 the crafty fox, and he easily drives 

 away the deer or elk when his young 

 are in danger. The goslings take to 

 the water early; but they like to 

 go ashore to feed on the green grass 

 and herbage of the uplands, and there 

 they often run into trouble. One of 

 their greatest aquatic enemies is the 

 snapping turtle. I have known one of 

 these monsters to capture a full grown 

 goose by catching its foot. In the 

 fierce struggle that followed the goose 

 escaped only by tearing its leg from 

 the socket, and died a miserable death 

 from the result of its fearful wound. 

 When advancing winter seals the 

 waters of their northern home, the 

 geese gather in flocks, rise in air, and 

 turn their faces to the south. They 

 travel by well known landmarks, and 

 unlike many sea fowl often become 

 confused in a fog. Therefore, I believe they never intentionally fly 

 out of sight of land; though they often cross wide bays and inlets. 



THE MALLARD 



The mallard is a cosmopolitan, the wild duck of the world, the pro- 

 genitor of the domestic duck, and the chief water fowl of the game pre- 

 serve. Its eggs and flesh formed a considerable part of the food of Indians 

 and early settlers. Vast numbers of mallards formerly bred not only in 

 Canada and Alaska, but in the western United States. Tons and tons 

 of these birds were killed for their feathers by Indians and halfbreeds in the 

 South and West. Boats loaded to the gunwales, wagons piled with 

 ducks, to be given away; tons of birds spoiled before they could be shipped, 

 then hauled out and dumped into the coulees ; markets glutted and mar- 

 ketmen unable to handle the birds, — these were all episodes of the time 

 of plenty. The result of this appalling waste, and the settlement of a 

 large part of their breeding grounds, has been a tremendous decrease in 

 the number of mallards in the country; but the birds may be readily 

 replaced by protection and artificial propagation, and the mallard is not 

 in any immediate danger of extinction. 



It nests in marsh or slough wherever it is undisturbed. The little 

 ones, when hatched, soon reach shallow water, where they are perfectly 



The male is standing and the female sitting. 



