398 
THE LIVING WORLD. 
The wild goose is found among the rice fields of the South in winter, 
though he goes on southward as far as the equator, remaining there until 
spring when he seeks the breeding-grounds of the far North, extending his 
flight even to the frozen clime of Baffin’s Bay. Their migrations northward are 
seldom made in flocks, but after broods are hatched and the. chill of approach¬ 
ing winter admonishes a change of climate, they assemble in immense flocks 
under the leadership of a gander who is invariably larger than any of his 
associates. At the word of command the journey southward is begun. They 
are thus frequently seen flying at great elevations in flocks of fifty or more, 
spread out in various shapes, but generally in the form of an acute angle, 
speeding all day and resting at night. Their cry is frequently heard when they 
are so high above us as to be imperceptible; and this seems bandied from one to 
the other, as among hounds in the pursuit. 
Whether this be the note of mutual encourage¬ 
ment, or the necessary consequence of re¬ 
spiration, is doubtful; but they seldom exert 
it when they alight in these journeys. 
Upon their coming to the ground by day 
they range themselves in a line, like cranes, 
and seem rather to have descended for rest,' 
than for other refreshment. When they have 
sat in this manner for an hour or two, I 
have heard one of 'them, with a loud, long 
note, sound a kind of charge, to which the 
rest punctually attended, and they pursued 
their journey with renewed alacrity. Their 
flight is very regularly arranged; they either 
go in a line abreast, or in two lines, joining in an angle in the middle. I doubt 
whether the form of their flight be thus arranged to cut the air with greater ease, 
as is commonly believed; I am more apt to think it is to present a smaller mark 
to fowlers from below, for of all birds the goose, despite his reputation for stupidity, 
is one of the most sagacious. Sometimes they not only alight in the central parts 
of the United States, but remain in certain localities for a considerable while early 
in the spring and late in the fall. They are very fond of young wheat and are 
occasionally very destructive, and especially so in California, where the wheat-grow¬ 
ers employ hunters to drive them off their fields. When feeding one or more 
sentinels are always on watch, with heads well elevated and eyes and ears alert 
to catch sight or sound of any enemy. The most successful means employed 
in hunting them may be briefly described as follows: When the geese are 
found to frequent a sand-bar, as they frequently do, the hunter repairs \at night 
to the spot where they most often assemble, digs a hole in the sand and places 
a barrel therein sunk to the level of the surface. In this he secretes himself 
and awaits the dawn of day and the coming of his prey. 
Geese often frequent cornfields, in which the corn has been cut and shocked; 
learning their range the hunter goes before daylight and secretes himself in 
one of the shocks and then waits the return of the game. Others hunt them 
by erecting blinds, behind which they lie and take chances of getting a shot 
as the geese fly over them. Yet others use a gentle horse, behind which the 
hunter walks as the horse is urged slowly towards a. settled flock, but no one 
wild goose (Bernicla torquata ). 
