472 CANADA GOOSE. 



shallow bays are frozen, they seek the mouths of inlets near 

 the sea, occasionally visiting the air-holes in the ice ; but these 

 bays are seldom so completely frozen as to prevent them from 

 feeding on the bars. 



The flight of the wild geese is heavy and laborious, gener- 

 ally in a straight line, or in two lines approximating to a point, 

 thus, \> ; in both cases the van is led by an old gander, who 

 every now and then pipes his well-known honk, as if to ask 

 how they come on, and the honk of " All's well " is generally 

 returned by some of the party. Their course is in a straight 

 line, with the exception of the undulations of their flight. 

 When bewildered in foggy weather, they appear sometimes to 

 be in great distress, flying about in an irregular manner and 

 for a considerable time over the same quarter, making a great 

 clamour. On these occasions, should they approach the earth 

 and alight, which they sometimes do, to rest and recollect them- 

 selves, the only hospitality they meet with is death and destruc- 

 tion from a whole neighbourhood already in arms for their 

 ruin. 



Wounded geese have, in numerous instances, been com- 

 pletely domesticated, and readily pair with the tame grey 

 geese. The offspring are said to be larger than either ; but 

 the characteristic marks of the wild goose still predominate. 

 The gunners on the sea-shore have long been in the practice 

 of taming the wounded of both sexes, and have sometimes 

 succeeded in getting them to pair and produce. The female 

 always seeks out the most solitary place for her nest, not far 

 from the water. On the approach of every spring, however, 

 these birds discover symptoms of great uneasiness, frequently 

 looking up into the air, and attempting to go off. Some 

 whose wings have been closely cut have travelled on foot in 

 a northern direction, and have been found at the distance of 

 several miles from home. They hail every flock that passes 

 overhead, and the salute is sure to be returned by the voyagers, 

 who are only prevented from alighting among them by the 

 presence and habitations of man. The gunners take one or 



