C. L. Sibley—American Wild Geese



297



There are records of the Canada and Hutchins Goose ( B. hutchinsi)

hybridizing and producing fertile young. Yet in mixed collections

containing Canadas, Hutchins, and Cackling Geese, the Cackling do

not fraternize with either the Hutchins or Canada, whereas the Hutchins

and Canadas will stay together as a flock outside the breeding season.

I can find no record where either the Canada or Hutchins has made

any attempt to pair with the White-cheeked Goose or the Cackling.

One would, of course, hardly expect pairing of Cackling and Canada

because of too great disparity in size, but the Hutchins and Cackling

are not too unlike in size to pair if there were any inclination to do so.


The Hutchins is a trim little goose, a smaller and Western edition

of the Canada in every detail, but not so uninterestingly domesticated

as the Canada has become and presenting more difficulty in inducing

it to breed. The Cackling is still smaller, less in size than the European

Brent. It is a more ornamental and interesting little goose, and its

size and amiable disposition make it a real addition to a mixed collection

of small geese and ducks. Our Cackling is much less plentiful than

formerly, due to continued shooting in its migrations through the

United States and also the practice of the Eskimos on its Arctic breeding

fields of netting great numbers of birds during the time when the

flight feathers have been moulted and the birds are for a time incapable

of flight. The rare and lovely little Emperor Goose is also netted in

the same way and at the same time as both varieties have the

same nesting grounds. Because of the quite restricted area

in which both species nest, one or two unfavourable seasons could

easily bring Cackling and Emperor (.Philacte canagica) to the verge

of extinction.


To date, very few collectors have bred the Cackling Goose in confine¬

ment, largely because there has been an ample supply of wild birds

available at a moderate price. However, during the last several

years, with a shortage of wild birds, more effort has been made to

produce confinement-reared stocks, with some degree of success, and

I am glad to be able to say that there are now a few confinement-

reared birds in the hands of good breeders, so that, if our

supply of wild birds should be destroyed in some way, there is still

a chance to continue the species in captivity.



