THE CANADA GOOSE. 235 



Description How killed. 



white band, like a crescent. The breast, the 

 upper part of the belly, the back, and wing- 

 coverts, are dusky brown ; the lower parts of the 

 neck and belly, and upper tail-coverts, white. 

 The quills and tail are black, and the legs dark 

 lead-colour. 



Canada geese inhabit the farther parts of 

 North America. Immense flocks appear annu- 

 ally in the spring in Hudson's Bay, and pass 

 more to the north to breed ; and return south- 

 ward in the autumn. The English at Hudson's 

 Bay depend greatly on geese, of this and other 

 kinds, for their support ; and in favourable years 

 they often kill three or four thousand, which 

 they salt and barrel. Their arrival is impatiently 

 waited; it is the harbinger of the spring, and 

 that month is named by the Indians the Goose 

 Moon. 



The English settlers send out their servants, 

 as well as the Indians, to shoot these birds on 

 their passage. It is in vain to pursue them ; the 

 men therefore form a row of huts made of houghs, 

 at musket-shot distance from each other, and 

 placed in a line across the vast marshes of the 

 country. Each hovel, or, as it is called, stand, 

 is occupied by only a single person. These at- 

 tend the flight of the birds; on the approach of 

 which they mimic their cackle so well, that the 

 geese wiii answer, wheel, and come nearer the 

 stand. The sportsman remains motionless, and 

 on his knees, witii his gun cocked the whole 

 <2 G 2 



