SNOW GOOSE. 213 



and nibbling the grasses sideways, in the manner of the Common Tame 

 Goose. In Louisiana I have not unfrequently seen the adult birds feeding 

 in wheat fields, when they pluck up the plants entire. When the young 

 Snow Geese first arrive in Kentucky, about Henderson for instance, they 

 are unsuspicious, and therefore easily procured. In a half-dry half-wet pond, 

 running across a large tract of land, on the other side of the river, in the 

 State of Indiana, and which was once my property, I was in the habit of 

 shooting six or seven of a-day. This, however, rendered the rest so wild, 

 that the cunning of any "Red Skin" might have been exercised without 

 success upon them; and I was sorry to find that they had the power of com- 

 municating their sense of danger to the other flocks which arrived. On 

 varying my operations, however, and persevering for some time, I found 

 that even the wildest of them now and then suffered; for having taken it 

 into my head to catch them in large traps, I tried this method, and several 

 were procured before the rest had learned to seize the tempting bait in a 

 judicious manner. 



The Snow Goose affords good eating when young and fat; but the old 

 Ganders are tough and stringy. Those that are procured along the sea- 

 shores, as they feed on shell-fish, fry and marine plants, have a rank taste, 

 which, however suited to the palate of the epicure, I never could relish. 



The flight of this species is strong and steady, and its migrations over the 

 United States are performed at a considerable elevation, by regular flappings 

 of the wings, and a disposition into lines similar to that of other Geese. It 

 walks well, and with rather elevated steps; but on land its appearance is not 

 so graceful as that of our common Canada Goose. Whilst with us they are 

 much more silent than any other of our species, rarely emitting any cries 

 unless when pursued on being wounded. They swim buoyantly, and, when 

 pressed, with speed. When attacked by the White-headed Eagle, or any 

 other rapacious bird, they dive well for a short space. At the least appear- 

 ance of danger, when they are on land, they at once come close together, 

 shake their heads and necks, move off in a contrary direction, very soon take 

 to wing, and fly to a considerable distance, but often return after a time. 



I am unable to inform you at what age the Snow Goose attains its pure 

 white plumage, as I have found that a judgment formed from individuals 

 kept in confinement is not to be depended upon. In one instance at least, a 

 friend of mine who had kept a bird of this species four years, wrote to me 

 that he was despairing of ever seeing it become pure white. Two years 

 after, he sent me much the same message; but, at the commencement of the 

 next spring, the Goose was a Snow Goose, and the change had taken place in 

 less than a month. 



Dr. Richardson informs us that this species "breeds in the barren grounds 



Vol. VI. 29 



