Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/243

 Tame Wild Geese i95 of them sunning themselves on the shore of the lake. A White-cheeked Goose {occidenialis), which looked like a giant when compared with several minima, was particularly unsuspicious. While we were in the park a Wild Goose — a Snow, if I remember aright — called from high in the air and descended upon the lake. He was a new arrival. We were at first skeptical concerning the genuine "wildness" of these birds, for it appeared remarkable that they should so soon lose their natural timidity. They are regularly fed, however, and are not molested, which is about all the magic there is in the transformation. The birds leave in the spring, presumably for their nesting grounds. I visited the park April 15, and found only a few White-fronted Geese, Mallards, California Eared Grebes, and Coots. Nearly all the birds had gone and one of the Geese was flapping wildly to get aloft, but its wing was clipped or injured. My father kept a list of the birds seen the first day, with the approxi- mate numbers. These are as follows: Mallard, 25; Baldpate, 10; Gad- wall,3; Shoveller, 150; Pintail, 1; Canvas-back, 1; American Scaup, 10; Lesser Scaup, 10; American Golden -eye, 5; Buffle-head, 5; Ruddy Duck, 25; Lesser Snow Goose, 15; Ross's Snow Goose, 2; American White-fronted Goose, 20; Hutchins's, White-cheeked and Cackling Geese, 50. Besides these were some tame Mallards and Black Swans, the latter always in the way when a picture was to be taken. AMERICAN COOTS