THE AMERICAN WILD GOOSE. 237 



wild geese, as was usual, returned from the northward 

 in great numbers to pass the winter in our bays and 

 rivers. Mr. Piatt happened to be standing in his yard 

 when a flock passed directly over his l^arn. At that 

 instant, he observed three geese detach themselves from 

 the rest, and, after wheeling round several times, alight 

 in the middle of the yard. Imagine his surprise and 

 pleasure, when, by certain well-remembered signs, he 

 recognised in one of the three his long-lost fugitive. It 

 was she indeed ! She had travelled many hundred miles 

 to the lakes, had there hatched and reared her offspring, 

 and had now returned with her little family to share 

 *vith them the sweets of civilized life !" 



THE AMERICAN WILD GOOSE. 



Syhonymes. — Jlnser canadensis, of Naturalists ; Oie du Canada, of the 

 French j Canadische Gans, of the Germans ; Ansa de Canada, Jlnsa siU 

 vestre americana, of the Spaniards ; Wild Goose, Canada Goose, of the 

 English and Anglo-Americans. 



The Canada goose is a beautiful species. The head, 

 two thirds of the neck, the greater quills, the rump, and 

 tail, are pitch-black ; the back and wings broccoli-brown 

 edged with wood-brown ; the base of the neck anteriorly, 

 and the under plumage generally, brownish-grey; a few 

 white feathers are scattered about the eye, and a white 

 cravat, of a kidney shape, forms a conspicuous mark on 

 the throat ; upper and under tail coverts, pure white ; bill 

 and feet black. 



