THE CANADA GOOSE. 



109 



as it may, they seemed satisfied with the se- 

 curity which the place afforded ; and they took 

 up their permanent abode amongst us, reserving 

 to themselves, however, the privilege of making 

 excursionary visits to the several ornamental 

 pools of water in the surrounding district. One 

 of these geese seems not to be thoroughly bred, 

 as it wants the jet black collar on the neck ; 

 and it has not that well-defined portion of white 

 on the cheeks, so conspicuous in the others. It 

 appears more suspicious than the rest of the 

 flock ; for, on a too near approach of the spec- 

 tator, it is invariably the first to give mouth, and 

 the first to rise on the wing. 



When I reflect on the numbers of enemies, 

 bipeds as well as quadrupeds, with which birds 

 of this description are beset, I often marvel 

 how it is possible that they are able to perform 

 their repeated aerial wanderings, without falling 

 a prey to the dangers which must continually 

 await them. I know to a certainty that this 

 flock has been shot at by prowlers in the neigh- 

 bourhood, but hitherto without success. 



In the breeding season, two or three pairs 

 will remain here. The rest take themselves 

 off, and are seen no more till the return of 



