﻿14 ANATID.E. 



North America. In the autumn, namely, in September 

 and October, they migrate southward, in order to pass the 

 winter in milder climates. The countries visited at that 

 season are France, Italy, Hungary, and Turkey ; during 

 long and cold winters it even crosses the Mediterranean 

 to the northern provinces of Africa. 



The localities most frequented by these geese on their 

 first arrival, in the month of September, are the stubble 

 of oats, and also fields of young Avheat ; among these they 

 pass their time, visiting occasionally a pond or lake, for 

 the purpose of drinking. They are also extremely fond 

 of pease, beans, etc., but their partiality for oats is so 

 predominant that, in localities where this grain is cultivated 

 triennially, these birds abound every third year, but the 

 two intervening seasons they do not make their appear- 

 ance. 



Towards the spring these Geese become restless, flying 

 to meadows, waste lands and heathy commons, and finally 

 leave their winter quarters for more northern regions. Their 

 migratory journeys are performed usually in the day, and 

 the speed at which they sometimes fly has been noticed 

 to amount to forty or fifty miles an hour. The numbers 

 that journey together vary from five to fifty or sixty ; and 

 when in large flocks they form a triangular figure, headed 

 by the father of the foremost family. 



During the day these Geese frequent cultivated districts 

 of divers descriptions, but resort at night invariably to 

 open flats, or the border of a lake or river, where they 

 stand either on the ground, or with their feet in the water. 

 The flock roost together in one party, and their acute 

 sense of hearing prevents the probability of their being 

 surprised. The only manner, therefore, in which a specimen 

 can be obtained, is by lying in wait for them early in 



