. The wild fowl of the United States and British possessions : or, The swan, geese, ducks, and mergansers of North America . reaches the MississippiValley, having been taken as far to the eastward asWisconsin. It commences to appear in its northern breedinggrounds toward the latter part of April, and the birdshave usually all arrived by the middle of May. It is agreat event not only for the Geese themselves, but alsofor the natives of the region, who have been living formany weary months on a diet of fish, and who welcomethe opportunity to vary their monotonous bill of fare withthe more genero
. The wild fowl of the United States and British possessions : or, The swan, geese, ducks, and mergansers of North America . reaches the MississippiValley, having been taken as far to the eastward asWisconsin. It commences to appear in its northern breedinggrounds toward the latter part of April, and the birdshave usually all arrived by the middle of May. It is agreat event not only for the Geese themselves, but alsofor the natives of the region, who have been living formany weary months on a diet of fish, and who welcomethe opportunity to vary their monotonous bill of fare withthe more generous article of flesh. Many birds aremated, Nelson says, when they arrive, but the maleswho have not yet succeeded in obtaining wives fight hardfor the possession of the females. Nelsons descriptionof these encounters is somewhat as follows. The females,keeping by themselves on the muddy banks of the river,a favorite resort, doze away the hours, or dabble in themud. The males scatter about and are very uneasy,moving incessantly from place to place, and uttering loudcries. Occasionally two of these belligerently inclined. CACKLIXG GOOSE. 75 birds will cross each others path, when, uttering notesresembling- low growling or grunting, each seizes theothers bill, and with wings hanging loosely by theirsides, haul and twist one another, until suddenly comingclose together, each strives to beat his rival with thewings, striking with so much force that the sound of theblows can be heard a long distance away. Not muchdamage is done, however, in these encounters, for thestrokes are usually warded by the wing of the other bird,and the conflict terminates by the weaker breaking awayfrom his antagonist and running of¥. Mating having been at length accomplished, a spotfor the nest is selected, generally a depression in abunch of grass, or on a knoll, and this is linedwith grasses or feathers plucked gradually fromthe females breast, until the eggs are hidden ina bed of down. The number of the
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectgameandgamebirds
