53 



CANADA GOOSE. 

 ANAS CAJVADEJVSIS. 

 [Plate LXVIL— Fig. 4.] 



UOye sauvage de Canada, Bmss. YT, p. 272, 4, pi. 26. — UOie a cravate, Bum. IX, p. 82. — Edw. jih 

 151.— ^.rct. Zool. J^o. 471. — Catesby, I, pi. 92. — Lath. Sijn. Ill, |). 450.— -Peale's Miiseum„ 

 JVo. 2704. 



THIS is the common Wild Goose of the United States , uni- 

 versally known over the whole country; whose regular periodical 

 migrations are the sure signals of returning spring, or approach- 

 ing winter. The tracts of their vast migratory journies are not 

 confined to the sea coast or its vicinity. In their aerial voyages 

 to and from the north, these winged pilgrims pass over the inte- 

 rior on both sides of the mountains, as far west, at least, as the 

 Osage river, and I have never yet visited any quarter of the coun- 

 try where the inhabitants are not familiarly acquainted with the 

 regular passing and repassing of the Wild Geese. The general 

 opinion here is that they are on their way to the lakes to breed ; 

 but the inhabitants on the confines of the great lakes that separate 

 us from Canada, are equally ignorant with ourselves of the parti- 

 cular breeding places of those birds. There their journey north is 

 but commencing, and how far it extends it is impossible for us at 

 present to ascertain, from our little acquaintance with these frozen 

 regions. They were seen by Hearne in large flocks within the 

 arctic circle, and were then pursuing their way still farther north. 

 Captain Phipps speaks of seeing Wild Geese feeding at the water's 

 edge, on the dreary coast of Spitzbergen, in lat. 80° 27 ^ It is 

 highly probable that they extend their migrations under the very 

 pole itself, amid the silent desolation of unknown countries shut 



VOL. VIII. o 



