240 GAME SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 



year the .air-holes in the river, where they come 

 to get water and to roost at night, are often better 

 places than the fields for securing a good bag. 

 They come to the decoys there with less fear or 

 suspicion. When wounded, geese dive easily, and 

 often swim long distances under water. Oppor- 

 tunities for shooting them will frequently occur 

 when in the pursuit of ducks. No. 1 (Chicago) I 

 consider the best-sized shot for goose shooting, 

 though B or B B may with propriety be used in 

 large or very close-shooting guns. 



1 am astonished that Audubon has ascribed so 

 little weight to the wild goose. I have seldom 

 seen one weighing less than eight or nine pounds, 

 and have seen many over twelve ; and one which 

 1 killed myself, the largest I ever saw, weighed 

 eighteen pounds. 



