280 
ORDERS OF BIRDS — DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 
collection of names. It nests in hollow trees, 
near good fishing-grounds, and whenever it 
makes its summer camp near a trout stream, 
the fry fare badly. 
The Geese. — Those who have not looked 
into the subject usually are surprised to find 
what a fine collection of geese is found in North 
America. The continent is so large it requires 
an effort to come in touch with representatives 
of all the species of wild-geese which inhabit 
it. While they are somewhat lacking in the 
fine coloring that characterizes a few foreign 
species, such as the spur-winged goose of Africa, 
CANADA GOOSE. 
they form, as a whole, a highly interesting group, 
well worth the acquaintance of all Americans 
save the market-hunters, and others who shoot 
not wisely but too well. 
Fortunately for those who live where wild- 
geese dare not show themselves for fear of being 
killed, all these species take kindly to captivity, 
and are easily kept in parks and zoological 
gardens. In 1903, five species were living 
quite contentedly in the New York Zoological 
Park. 
In writing of geese, we would not think of 
mentioning any species ahead of our old favor- 
ite and most faithful friend, the Canada 
Goose . 1 Where is the country dweller who has 
not heard, far aloft, the well-known trumpet 
“Honk,” and the prompt answers all down the 
two lines as the V-shaped flock winged swiftly 
forward? In the raw, windy days at winter’s 
end, from the Gulf to Hudson Bay, the old 
gander’s cry is accepted as a guarantee of spring, 
and hailed with joy. Dull indeed is the mind 
that is not moved to wonder and admiration 
by the remarkable V-formation in which the 
wild-goose flock cleaves the air. 
Although wild-geese in transit through the 
Mississippi valley frequently alighted in corn- 
fields to rest and feed, as a rule they were so 
wary and wide-awake it was next to impossible 
to bag one. In Minnesota and the Dakotas, 
however, they often flocked on the ground in 
such numbers that goose-shooting was as regular 
a sport as chicken-shooting, and during a brief 
period of slaughter yielded weighty results. 
Thousands of geese alighting in cornfields to 
feed have been shot from the interior of innocent- 
looking corn-shocks. 
The Canada Goose is not only the largest of 
the wild-geese of North America, but also the 
most important and valuable member of the 
group. There are times, also, when it seems 
to be the most savory bird that finds its way 
to the platter. One of those times was when 
a flock alighted near our camp, on the ice of 
the Musselshell, in Montana, the day before 
a certain whizzing cold Thanksgiving, and a 
fat young gander was shot, and beautifully 
roasted over the camp-fire in a large Dutch 
oven. 
In captivity the Canada Goose is an all- 
around philosopher; and even when wild, he 
often knows a good thing when he sees it. In 
October, 1901, a flock of nine geese flying south- 
ward over the New York Zoological Park sud- 
denly espied our flock of the same species on 
the Aquatic Mammals’ Pond. Without a 
moment’s hesitation, the wild-birds sailed down 
and alighted on the shore beside their relatives, 
and invited themselves to the banquet of 
cracked corn. 
On the following day, Mr. H. R. Mitchell 
coaxed seven of the visitors into a huge wire 
cage that was set up on the shore, where they 
1 Bran'ta canadensis. Average length, about 35 
inches; but individuals vary greatly in size. 
