The Canada Geese 



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of the V which it occupies. The line of march shifts and changes under 

 the eye, as the hindmost birds become dissatisfied with their positions, 

 and change sides, or as tired leaders give place to fresher birds; and 

 the changes are accomplished not without much lordly discussion in high- 

 pitched honks. 



When selecting a pond or corner of the lake in which to spend the 

 night, the birds first circle about cautiously at a safe height, and then 

 slide down the air from a point a mile or so away, approaching the water 

 silently and at a low angle. In rising from the water or the ground, 

 the Geese prefer to make a little run or preliminary flutter, to get head- 

 way, but are capable of clearing either the water or the ground by a 

 sudden spring. 



So the author wrote in "The Birds of Ohio" some twenty years ago. 



And what was there said holds good of 

 the Honker everywhere, save that in 

 the southern portion of its range, the 

 Canada Goose clears for the North in 

 February instead of March. 



Like most geese, this species feeds 

 principally upon grass and tender herb- 

 age, berries, sedge-roots, and aquatic 

 plants. The stubble-fields of the Sac- 

 ramento Valley have been for three quar- 

 ters of a century past the classical resort 

 of the Canada Goose and its congeners. 

 In winter the birds are very regular about 

 their meals, rising punctually an hour or 

 so before daybreak, and flying to the 

 distant fields to glean for two or three 

 hours the fallen morsels of wheat. The 

 middle of the day is spent upon the pond 

 or in some backwater bayou, dabbling 

 for watercress and duck weed, or else 

 enjoying one-legged slumbers on the sand- 

 bar. Hunger drives them to forage again 

 late in the afternoon, usually to the same 

 spot visited in the morning. At such 

 times the geese are exceedingly vigilant 

 and wary. And it would appear that 

 when feeding upon the ground one or 

 more of their number are charged with sentry duty. 



Their suspicion of all mankind is deeply planted and freshly watered, 

 but the goose psychology works under several limitations. A lone goose 



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Taken in British Columbia Photo by E. D. Sismey 



NEST AND EGGS OF CANADA GOOSE 



