56 
CANADA GOOSE. 
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 Goose is heavy and laborious, gene- 
rally 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 themselves, the only hospitality they meet with 
is death and destruction from a whole neighborhood already in 
arms for their ruin. 
A¥ounded Geese have, in numerous instances, been completely 
domesticated, and readily pair with the tame Gray Geese. The 
offspring are larger than either; butthe characteidstic marks of the 
Wild Goose still predominate. The gunners on the seashore 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 look- 
ing up into the air, and attempting to go off. Some whose wings 
have been closely cut, have travelled on foot in a northern direc- 
tion, 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 two of these domesticated Geese with 
