100 THE FALL OF THE YEAR 



to the pond. These "flyers " are usually young birds 

 and, when thrown out upon their wings, naturally 

 come back, bringing the wild flock with them, to 

 their fellows fastened in the pond. 



A weary flock comes winging over, hungry, and 

 looking for a place to rest. Instantly the captive 

 geese out on the pond see them and set up a loud 

 honking. The flying flock hear them and begin to 

 descend. Then they see one (tossed from the blind) 

 coming on to meet them, and they circle lower to 

 the pond, only to fall before a fury of shots that 

 pour from behind the blind. 



Those of the flock that are not killed rise frightened 

 and bewildered to fly to the opposite shore, where 

 other guns riddle them, the whole flock sometimes 

 perishing within the ring of fire ! 



Such shooting is a crime because it is unfair, giv- 

 ing the creature no chance to exercise his native wit 

 and caution. The fun of hunting, as of any sport, is 

 in playing the game — the danger, the exercise, the 

 pitting of limb against limb, wit against wit, patience 

 against patience ; not in a heap of carcasses, the dead 

 and bloody weight of mere meat ! 



If the hunter would only play fair with the wild 

 goose, shoot him (the wild Canada goose) only along 

 the North Carolina coast, where he passes the winter, 

 then there would be no danger of the noble bird's 

 becoming extinct. And the hunter then would know 

 what real sport is, and what a long-headed, far- 



