OF VIRGINIA 29 
now has his pen of decoy Canadas, and I suppose it is safe 
to say that seven-eighths of the geese shot are through the 
means of these tame birds. Though birds may pair off 
the second vear of age, the female will not as a rule lay 
until the third season. They remain mated for life, if 
not broken up, and some attain the ripe old age of twenty 
years. Probably the most successful breeder of these birds 
in the world is Mr. J. W. Whealton, of Chincoteague 
Island, this State, who has been breeding these birds for 
over twenty-five vears, and raises them in large numbers. 
some seasons as many as four hundred young being raised 
to maturity. His geese, on reaching the age of full 
plumage, are allowed to feed ont in the bay at large, and 
he seldom loses any. The wild birds commence to arrive 
about the middle of October, and are common on all our 
large rivers and bavs; Back Bay and Currituck Sound 
being their ideal feeding grounds. Thev migrate north- 
ward in the spring about the middle of March, the loud 
honking readily attracting one’s notice to the flock over- 
head, flying in the shape of a wedge or “V.’ The nests 
are well-made structures of weeds, stems and grasses, trash 
and other handy material, lined with feathers and down. 
The eggs are a light buff color, and number from four 
to six, five being the average. Size, 3.50x2.50. In con- 
finement they lay in March and early April, but in their 
wild state they breed in May and June. Only one brood 
a season. 
