THE CANADA GOOSE. 187 



or from the ground, they usually run a few feet with outspread wings; but 

 when suddenly surprised and in full plumage, a single spring on their broad 

 webbed feet is sufficient to enable them to get on wing. While travelling to 

 some considerable distance, they pass through the air at the height of about 

 a mile, steadily following a direct course towards the point to which they 

 are bound. Their notes are distinctly heard, and the various changes made 

 in the disposition of their ranks are easily seen. But although on these 

 occasions they move with the greatest regularity, yet when they are slowly 

 advancing from south to north at an early period of the season, they fly 

 much lower, alight more frequently, and are more likely to be bewildered 

 by suddenly formed banks of fog, or by passing over cities or arms of the 

 sea where much shipping may be in sight. On such occasions great con- 

 sternation prevails among them, they crowd together in a confused manner, 

 wheel irregularly, and utter a constant cackling resembling the sounds from 

 a disconcerted mob. Sometimes the flock separates, some individuals leave 

 the rest, proceed in a direction contrary to that in which they came, and 

 after awhile, as if quite confused, sail towards the ground, once alighted on 

 which they appear to become almost stupified, so as to suffer themselves to 

 be shot with ease, or even knocked down with sticks. This I have known 

 to take place on many occasions, besides those of which I have myself been 

 a witness. Heavy snow-storms also cause them great distress, and in the 

 midst of them some have been known to fly against beacons and lighthouses, 

 dashing their heads against the walls in the middle of the day. In the night 

 they are attracted by the lights of these buildings, and now and then a whole 

 flock is caught on such occasions. At other times their migrations north- 

 ward are suddenly checked by a change of weather, the approach of which 

 seems to be well known to them, for they will suddenly wheel and fly back 

 in a southern direction several hundred miles. In this manner I have known 

 flocks to return to the places which they had left a fortnight before. Nay, 

 even during the winter months, they are keenly sensible to changes of tem- 

 perature, flying north or south in search of feeding-grounds, with so much 

 knowledge of the future state of the weather, that one may be assured when 

 he sees them proceeding southward in the evening, that the next morning 

 will be cold, and vice versa. 



The Canada Goose is less shy when met with far inland, than when on the 

 sea-coast, and the smaller the ponds or lakes to which they resort, the more 

 easy it is to approach them. They usually feed in the manner of Swans and 

 fresh-water Ducks, that is, by plunging their heads towards the bottom of 

 shallow ponds or the borders of lakes and rivers, immersing their fore parts, 

 and frequently exhibiting their legs and feet with the posterior portion of 

 their body elevated in the air. They never dive on such occasions. If 



