Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/114

 106 GOOSE and belly grayish white, with brownish black .hiti- in the anal region; tail brown, white tipped; secondaries and end of prima- ,rk brown, rest of wing silvery ash, the greater coverts edged with white. This species is found over the whole of North America, but is rare along the Atlantic coast ; they re- tire to the north in March and April, return- ing in October ; they are not so shy as other species, and their flesh is considered a deli- cacy; their food consists principally of land plants. The notes are loud, resembling a laugh; hence one of their common names. The egg is 2| by If in., of a dull yellowish green color, with indistinct darker patches. The snow goose (A. liyperboreus, Pallas) is larger, measuring 30 in. in length and 62 in extent of wings, with a weight of nearly 7 Ibs. In the adult, the bill and legs are red; the general color pure white, with the primaries black toward the end and bluish gray at the base ; the young, or blue-winged geese, have a more bluish and ashy tint, with patches of dark brown, constituting the A. ccsrukscens (Linn.), which some regard as a distinct species. It is found all over North America, breeding in the far north ; when young, its flesh is ten- der, and far superior to that of the Canada goose ; those that feed on the seashore have a fishy taste. The egg is yellowish white, 3 by 2 in. The usual food consists of grasses, rushes, insects, and in the autumn berries; it mates with the common goose, though the eggs are rarely if ever hatched. The American wild or Canada goose belongs to the genus ber- CaiudA Goose (Bernicla Canadcnsis). -'pli.), which is characterized by a bill shorter than the head, and by the black color of the I,-,; the lamella) of the upper ncealed by the margin of the bill- 3 over the middle of the commissure the bind toe d.-v.-it,.,! ; m,l rudimentary, not touching the ground. The species or this ge- L'rate from the high latitudes of Europe, Asia, and America, where they spend the summer, to the more southern parts in winter, especially South America ; they feed chiefly on marine grasses and algae, though some live far from water, eating seeds, berries, &c. The Canada goose (B. Canadensis, Linn.) is about 3 ft. long, with an extent of wings of 65 in., and a weight of 7 Ibs. The head, neck, bill, feet, and tail are black; a large, triangular patch of white on the cheeks behind the eyes, confluent below ; upper parts grayish brown, with paler edges; lower lid white; below grayish white, passing into pure white near the anal region; upper tail coverts white; pri- maries and rump dark brown. It is found throughout North America, and accidentally in Europe; the spring migration northward be- gins with the melting of the snow, from March 20 to April 30, and the return commences in the first half of September, the birds passing along the coast, but most numerous in the in- terior; their flight is very high, their "honk" often being heard when the bird cannot be seen, and very regular unless interrupted by fogs, storms, or unexpected accidents. The food consists of the seeds of grasses and aqua- tic plants, slugs and snails, worms, insects, tender blades of corn, and Crustacea, shell fish, and marine plants on the seashore. They are not often found in company with other species ; the senses of sight and hearing are very acute, and their stratagems for avoiding their enemies evince great cunning ; they rarely dive, unless when attempting to escape, at which times both old and young quickly disappear. The males are very pugnacious during their court- ship, and defend their mates against all ene- mies ; the nest is built on the ground in some retired spot near the water, of dried plants; the eggs of the wild bird are usually about six, though the domesticated birds lay a few more ; they average 3 by 2 in., are smooth, thick- shelled, and of a dull yellowish green color; the period of incubation is 28 days, and they have only one brood in a season ; the young are able to follow their parents to the water in a day or two, but many are destroyed in spite of the watchfulness of the mother by snapping turtles, gar fish, pickerel, and birds and beasts of prey. They are shot from ambush at their feeding places, and may be attracted by living or artificial decoys ; the flesh of such as have lived in the interior is very agreeable, but rather strong and fishy in the shore-fed birds. Besides man and the animals just mentioned, their worst enemies are alligators, the couguar, lynx, and raccoon, and the white-headed eagle. They are readily domesticated, and when tame are advantageously crossed with the common goose, the resulting brood being larger and more easily raised and fattened than the ori- ginals. The flesh and eggs are valuable as food, the feathers for beds, the quills for writing purposes, and their oil in domestic medicine. Ilntchins's goose (B. Hutcliimii, Rich.), called by the gunners winter or flight goose, is 25 in.