WILD FOWL. 
63 
distress, flying about in an irregular manner, and for a consi¬ 
derable time, over tbe same quarter, making a great clamor. 
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. Wounded 
Geese have, in numerous instances, been completely domesti 
cated, and readily pair with the tame Gray Geese. The off¬ 
spring are said to be larger than either, but the characteristic 
mark of the Wild Goose still predominate. The gunners on 
the sea-shore here, have long been in the practice of taming the 
wounded of both sexes, and have sometimes succeeded in get¬ 
ting 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 looking up into the 
air, and attempting to go off. Some whose wings have been 
closely cut, have travelled on foot in a northern direction, 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 them, to those parts of the marshes on which the 
wild ones are accustomed to fly, and concealing themselves 
within gun-shot, wait for a flight, which is no sooner perceived 
by the decoy Geese, than they begin calling aloud, until the 
whole flock approaches so near as to give them an opportunity 
of discharging two, and sometimes three, loaded muskets among 
them, by which great havoc is made. 
“ The Wild Goose, when in good order, weighs from ten to 
twelve, and sometimes fourteen pounds. They are sold in the 
Philadelphia markets at from seventy-five cents to one dollar 
each, and are estimated to yield half a pound of feathers a-piece. 
which produces twenty-five or thirty cents more. The Canada 
Goose is now domesticated in numerous quarters of the country, 
