180 CANADA GOOSE. 



go farther north than any part of Canada before nesting. Their vernal migration lasts 

 from the middle of April to the middle of May. In their flight they go over land or 

 water indiscriminately. They swim and dive with facility, and if winged in the water 

 are difficult to catch. They roost mostly upon the land, but in very fine weather sometimes 

 on the water. Their flight is heavy and laboured; usually in a straight line, or in two 

 converging lines, as our own Wild Geese. 



They are very readily tamed, and breed in captivity, and are prolific and valuable. 



The following interesting anecdote is mentioned by Wilson: — "Mr. Piatt, a respectable 

 farmer on Long Island, being out shooting in one of the bays which, in that part of the 

 country, abound with water-fowl, wounded a Wild Goose. Being wing-tipped, and unable 

 to fly, he caught it, and brought it home alive. It proved to be a female; and turning 

 it into his yard, with a flock of Tame Geese, it soon became quite tame and familiar, 

 and in a little time its wounded wing entirely healed. In the following spring, when 

 the Wild Geese migrate to the northward, a flock passed over Mr. Piatt's barn-yard ; and, 

 just at the moment, their leader happening to sound his bugle-note, our Goose, in whom 

 its new habits and enjoyments had not quite extinguished the love of liberty, remembering 

 the well-known sound, spread its wings, mounted into the air, joined the travellers, and 

 soon disappeared. In the succeeding autumn, the 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 barn. 

 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 with them the sweets of civilized life." 



The eggs are six or seven in number, of a dull white, and measure three inches and 

 a third in length, by two inches and a third in breadth. 



In the adult the bill is black; irides, dark hazel; head and upper half of the neck, 

 black, having a cravat of white extending from behind the ear coverts under the chin 

 and throat; lower neck, white. Primaries, black, as long as the tail. Back, wing coverts, 

 secondaries, and tertials, brown, each feather with a whitish tip; rump, black; upper 

 tail coverts, white; tail, black. Breast and belly, pale brown. Vent and under tail 

 coverts, white; flanks, pale ashy brown. Legs and feet, dark gray black. 



Both sexes are alike. 



The Canada Goose weighs "from ten to twelve, and sometimes fourteen pounds." 



In length it measures full three feet. Dr. Richardson says three feet five or six inches. 



