D U C K. 



the middle of May *, when the inhabitants wait for them with 

 expectation, being one of the chief articles for food, and many- 

 years kill as far as three or four thoufand, which are falted and 

 barrelled. The Indians, and frequently the fervants of the Eng- 

 HJh, form a row of huts, made of boughs, at a mufquet-fhot dis- 

 tance each, acrofs the parts they are expected to pafs ; and, as 

 the flock fly over, they mimic their noife fo well as to flop the 

 Gee/e in their flight ; when each perfon, having two guns, fires 

 the firft, and directly after the fecond ; by this means a good 

 markfman has been known to kill two hundred in a day. In 

 this fport they muft be very cautious to fecrete themfelves, for 

 the birds are very fhy, and, on the leaft motion, fly off directly f . 

 On their return fouth, which is from the middle of Auguft to 

 the middle oiOttober, much havoc is made among them, but 

 thefe are preferved frefh for winter ftore, by putting them, fea- 

 thers and all, into a large hole dug in the ground, and covering 

 them with mould ; and thefe, during the whole time of the frofts 

 lafting, are found perfectly fweet and good. The Indians at 

 Hudfon's Bay call them Apiftifkifo %. 



This fpecies is now pretty common in a tame ftate, both on 

 the continent and in England; on the Great Canal, at Verjailles, 

 hundreds are feen, mixing with the Swans with the greateft cor- 

 diality ■, and the fame at Chantilly. In England, likewife, they 



* The month in which the Gee/e appear is called by the Indians, Goc/e 

 month. 



t Ara. Zod. 



% The French, while in pofll-flion of Canada, ufed to call thefe by the nam* 

 of Outarde, or Buftard; but this has lately been applied to one found in Falk- 

 land's IJles. See p. 440. N° 5. 



3 M 2 are 



45 1 



