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months, and longer, if the severity of the weather does not close with ice its favourite haunts. Indeed thousands are killed during the months of January, February and March, lower down the bay, but their flavour is not so delicate after they have been driven by the ice from their accustomed feeding-grounds, which abound with the water celery, a plant whose bulbous root imparts the most delicious flavour to all the water-fowl that feed upon it.

"The usual mode of shooting them by sportsmen is upon the wing as they pass a point, or a narrow neck of land, which they often do in flying from one feeding-ground to another. The best guns used are of large calibre, from No. 12 to No. 7 guage, and the shot of the size B or BB. The powder coarse-grained, to obviate the recoil that necessarily ensues if fine-grained should be used.

"But there is a class of men, poachers, that shoot for market, who make the greatest havoc with this game. They silently in the night-time paddle or scull small boats into the very midst of large flocks or beds of ducks, whilst they are feeding, and with a tremendous piece mounted on a swivel in the bow, slaughter immense numbers, often killing eighty or an hundred at a shot. This mode of destroying them is restricted by legislative acts, under severe penalties, but the difficulty of capturing or convicting these poachers is such, that most of them escape the penalties of the law, and pursue their unhallowed avocation, notwithstanding the greatest efforts to apprehend them; and their only punishment is the repeated anathemas and just indignation of all true sportsmen.

"There is another mode that is sometimes practised, which, though not quite so objectionable as the last, is seldom resorted to by gentlemen that shoot for pleasure, and is not permitted on grounds belonging to clubs. It is called 'toling.' A small dog about the size and colour of a red fox is made to gambol upon the shore, playing with sticks or stones that are tossed towards him from the gunners who are lying concealed by a blind. The attention of a flock of ducks that may be feeding within the distance of one hundred or two hundred yards is soon arrested, and they are simultaneously attracted by the antics of the dog, and

with one accord swim rapidly towards the shore as if charmed. They frequently come within twenty yards of their concealed foe, regarding nothing but the playful pranks of the dog, when at a favourable moment, as they cluster together, a volley from three or four guns is poured upon the unsuspecting creatures. They instantly take wing, leaving behind some score of their number fluttering in their last agonies; and what seems very extraordinary, the same flock upon lighting near some other shore may be immediately enticed in the same manner into the same danger. It not unfrequently happens, that the same flock is 'toled' three or four times in one day. The red-head is however more easily 'toled' than the canvass-back, and they are slain by thousands in this manner.

It is said by many that the race is fast diminishing, and is likely ere long to become extinct. But this is a mistake. From the fact that they breed' where the foot of civilized man seldom or never trod' we have a right to expect that the same uncultivated regions will send annually to the Atlantic shores about the usual number for centuries to come; and although the great demand for them, as the most luxurious of game, may seemingly, in the markets where they were formerly most to be found, render them very scarce, yet there are doubtless quite as many annually killed now on the waters of the Chesapeake as at any former period. And this bay is the canvass-back region. The bird is, however, found in many other parts of the United States, but never of so good a quality and flavour as in this region; probably owing to the great abundance of its favourite food, the water celery. In New Orleans it is known as the Canard Cheval,' and is the best duck known in that market. In Galveston Bay (Texas) they are more numerous than in the Chesapeake, yet inferior both in size and quality."

6

WILD GEESE.

Late in autumn, especially when the wind is from the northeast, the Canada geese in our section of the country, sailing high in the air, make their accustomed tour of migration. Impelled by nature, they quit their northern abode, and hazard an escape from the artifices of man sooner than perish amid the icy barrens of the frozen regions. When migrating, many flocks unite and form a vast column, each band having its chosen leader. They generally continue flying during the night, but occasionally alight and await the day. Before doing so, however, their experienced pioneers survey the space below, and select a place favourable for food and safety. Sentinels are then appointed from among the ganders to sound the alarm should an enemy appear. I have seen them adopt the same precaution when landing in large flocks by day. Those separate from the main body would move about with heads erect, ready to catch the first sign of intrusion; "after strutting their hour" would return to the main body, their places being immediately supplied by others. I have often been disappointed by such a movement, supposing it to be a signal for flight, looking well to my gun, but after waiting a few minutes in suspense, discovered it to be merely a change of guard.

The hoarse houking of the gander is so familiar to the inhabitants of our country, that it is impossible for them to arrive among us without making their visit known. All welcome their return; the once keen eye of the aged gunner again sparkles as he beholds their grand and lofty flight. The firelock, that useful piece of furniture which ornaments all our farm-houses, is immediately brought into requisition, and the village store-keeper is industriously employed in answering demands for "single B's.” The report of guns reverberates through the country, but still these sagacious birds keep on their steady course; occasionally a single feather may be seen slowly descending to the earth, as if to inform the eager gunner of their nicely calculated distance, or perchance after the loud report of some well-mettled piece, a single bird may be seen leaving the flock, its death-knell sounded by its more fortunate, but terrified companions.

But not so with the practised bay-gunner. On the return of the geese his prospects brighten; he looks upon them as debtors returned to cancel a long-standing obligation; he wastes not his ammunition on space; he has watched their flight, and discovered their favourite landing-place; the long neglected decoys are placed in his skiff, and before daylight has appeared, he is pulling his way across the rough bay with glorious anticipations of profit. On gaining the desired point, he puts out his decoys, sinks a box in the sand, and there lies concealed. As they approach, his keen eye glances quickly over his trusty gun, and ere a moment elapses death is among them.

When wounded, they have the power of sinking themselves in the water, leaving their bill out. In this situation they will remain a considerable length of time. The dead body of a goose, when lying on the surface of the water, will float two-thirds out. In stormy weather they fly low; when it is very foggy, they frequently become confused, and alight on the ground.

The Canada geese remain with us until our bays are frozen, and return with the disappearance of ice in the spring; at this season their stay is short. Early in April they collect in large flocks, and almost simultaneously move off. Their food consists of sedge roots, marine plants, berries, and herbage of most kinds. In winter they are common on the lakes in the neighbourhood of the lower Mississippi, where I am informed by the inhabitants that a few stragglers remain with them during the summer.

This species is not the origin of the domestic goose, as is by some supposed, the genealogy of which, it is said, has been traced to the Bean Goose of Europe. "The English of Hudson's Bay depend greatly on geese of these and other kinds for their support, and in favourable years, kill three or four thousand, which they salt and barrel. Their arrival is impatiently attended; it is the harbinger of the spring, and the month named by the Indians the Goose Moon. They appear usually at our settlements in numbers about St. George's day, O. S., and fly northward to nestle in security. They prefer islands to the continent, as farther from the haunts of men. Thus Marble Island was found in August to swarm in swans, geese, and ducks, the old ones moulting, and the young at that time incapable of flying. The

English send out their servants, as well as Indians, to shoot these birds on their passage. It is in vain to pursue them. They therefore form a row of huts, made of boughs, at musket-shot distance from each other, and place them in a line across the vast marshes of the country. Each hovel, or, as they are called, 'stand,' is occupied by a single person. These attend the flight of the birds, and on their approach imitate their cackle so well, that the goose will answer, and wheel and come near the stand. The sportsman keeps motionless and on his knees, with his gun cocked the whole time, and never fires till he has seen the eyes of the geese. He fires as they are going from him; then picks up another gun that lies by him, and discharges that. The geese that he has killed he sets on sticks, as if alive, to decoy others; he also makes artificial birds for the same purpose. In a good day-for they fly in very uncertain and unequal numbers-a single Indian will kill two hundred. Notwithstanding every species of goose has a different call, yet the Indians are admirable in their imitation of every one." (Pennant's Arctic Zoology, as quoted by Bewick.) Hutchins's Goose is a species much resembling the former in plumage and shape, although much inferior in size and flavour, having a very fishy taste.

The brent goose, or "Brant," as it is more familiarly called, makes its appearance on Long Island about the middle of October. Mr. Audubon found it breeding at Labrador. In the spring and autumn it is very numerous on our coast, exceeding in number the Canada geese and dusky ducks. Its manner of flying is different from that of the Canada goose; moving in more compact bodies, less rapidly, and without seeming to have a chosen leader -that marked characteristic in the flight of the latter. While in our bays, it appears inactive, seldom taking to wing unless disturbed by a passing boat, or the near report of a gun.

The brent rises slowly, and when on the wing, moves sluggishly, for a short distance, and if not attracted by a distant flock, frequently returns to the place it had left. Its food consists of a marine plant, (Zostera marina,) commonly called eel-grass. At low water it is seen industriously at work, tearing up its favourite plants. After the tide has risen to such a height as to compel it to relinquish its vocation, it is seen drifting with the current, feeding sumptuously on the food of its labour.

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