Old-fashioned ntine's Day, but -air live together this is one of the belonging to my and had reared ander fell in love nipped her legitiay, although she c fortunes. The plandishments of peared from the was inferred that The encompassing se of this sacrifice ed sentiment, for istant "slashing" ome in triumph. was still able to ed his home and athers which she o his goose while ce in her defence. nd have the ends xs. The goslings and have large, ion from the first. eighteen goslings. ith dignified step, lways carried her stic haughtiness. Embden descent always formed a at the head, the rear to be sure behind, the male Then entering the is bill; when the ed them into the attempt to take d defiance on the t he had whipped oslings. entment by openthe whole round s, he thrusts his d seizes his victim ay, and then with vidly a whipping which a gander gave me when I was a child, holding me fast by the blou while he laid on the blows. Geese feed much more largely upon land vegetation than do duc a good growth of clover and grass make excellent pasture for them; in t water, they feed upon water plants but do not eat insects and animals any extent. Undoubtedly goose language is varied and expresses many thin Geese talk to each other and call from afar; they shriek in warning and general make such a turmoil that people do not enjoy it. The goslin even when almost grown, keep up a constant "pee wee, pee wee," which nerve-racking. There is a good opportunity for some interesting inves gations in studying out just what the different notes of the geese mean. The goose is very particular about her toilet; she cleans her brea and back and beneath her wings with her bill; and she cleans her b with her foot; she also cleans the top of her head with her foot and t under side of her wing with the foot of that side. When oiling feathers, she starts the oil gland flowing with her beak, then rubs her he over the gland until it is well oiled; she then uses her head as a "daube to apply the oil to the feathers of her back and breast. When thus p ishing her feathers, she twists the head over a over and back and forth to add to its efficiency. WILD GEESE HERE is a sound, that, to the weather-wise farm means cold and snow, even though it is hea through the hazy atmosphere of an Indian summ day; and that is the honking of wild geese as the pass on their southward journey. And there is no more interesting sight anywhere in the autur landscape than the wedge-shaped flock of these long-necked birds wi their leader at the front apex. "The wild goose trails his harrow sings the poet; but only the aged can remember the old-fashioned harr which makes this simile graphic. The honking which reveals to us t passing flock, before our eyes can discern the birds against the sky, the call of the wise old gander who is the leader, to those following hi and their return salute. He knows the way on this long thousand-m journey, and knows it by the topography of the country. If ever f or storm hides the earth from his view, he is likely to become confuse to the dismay of his flock, which follows him to the earth with ma lonely and distressful cries. The northern migration takes place in April and May, and the southe from October to December. The journey is made with stops for rest a refreshment at certain selected places, usually some secluded pond lake. The food of wild geese consists of water plants, seeds and con and some of the smaller animals living in water. Although the geese con to rest on the water, they go to the shore to feed. In California, t wild geese are dreaded visitors of the cornfields, and men with guns a employed regularly to keep them off. The nests are made of sticks lined with down, usually along the shor of streams, sometimes on tree stumps and sometimes in deserted nests the osprey. There are only four or five eggs laid and both parents a devoted to the young, the gander bravely defending his nest and family from the attacks of any enemies. Although there are several species of wild geese on the Atlantic Coast, the one called by this name is usually the Canada goose. This bird is a superb creature, brown above and gray beneath, with head, neck, tail, bill and feet of black. These black trimmings are highly ornamental and, as if to emphasize them, there is a white crescent-shaped "bib" extending from just back of the eyes underneath the head. This white patch is very striking, and gives one the impression of a bandage for sore throat. It is regarded as a callcolor, and is supposed to help keep the flock together; the side tail-coverts are also white and make another guide to follow. Qften some wounded or wearied bird of the migrating flock spends the winter in farmyards with domestic geese. One morning a neighbor of mine found that during the night a wild gander, injured in some way, had joined his flock. The stranger was treated with much courtesy by its new companions as well as by the farmer's family and soon seemed perfectly at home. The next spring he mated with one of the domestic geese. In the late summer, my neighbor, mindful of wild geese habits, clipped the wings of the gander so that he would be relatives. As the migrating season approached, the gander became very uneasy; not only was he uneasy and unhappy always but he insisted that his wife share his misery of unrest. He spent days in earnest remonstrance with her and, lifting himself by his cropped wings to the top of the barnyard fence, he insisted that she keep him company on this, for web feet, uneasy resting place. Finally, after many days of tribulation. Wild geese flying in even ranks. Photographed directly underneath by A. R. Dugmore. unable to join any passing flock of his wild the two valiantly started south on foot. News was received of their progress for some distance and then they were lost to us. During the winter our neighbor visited a friend living eighteen miles to the southward and found in his barnyard the errant pair. They had become tired of migrating by tramping and had joined the farmer's flock; but we were never able to determine the length of time required for this journey. LESSON XXXIII GEESE Leading thought-Geese are the most intelligent of the domesticated birds, and they have many interesting habits. Method-This lesson should not be given unless there are geese where the pupils may observe them. The questions should be given a few at a time and answered individually by the pupils after the observations are made. Observations-1. What is the chief difference between the appearance of a goose and a duck? How does the beak of the goose differ from that of the duck in shape and in texture? Describe the nostrils and their situation. 2. What is the difference in shape between the neck of the goose and that of the duck? 3. What can you say about the plumage of geese? How are geese "picked?" At what time of year? From what parts of the body are the the feathers plucked? 4. Are the wings of the goose large compared with the body? How do geese exercise their wings? Describe the tail of the goose and how it is used. 5. How do the legs and feet of the goose differ from those of the duck? Describe the goose's foot. How many toes are webbed? Where is the other toe? What is the shape of the track made by the goose's foot? Which portions of the legs are used for oars? When the goose is swimming forward where are her feet? When turning around how does she use them? Does the goose waddle when walking or running as a duck does? Why? Does a goose toe-in when walking? Why? 6. Describe the shape and color of the following breeds of domestic geese: The Toulouse, the Embden, the African, and Chinese. Habits of Geese 1. What is the chief food of geese? What do they find in the water to eat? How does their food differ from that of ducks? 2. How do geese differ from hens in the matter of mating and nesting? At what time of year do geese mate? Does a pair usually remain mated for life? 3. Describe the nest and compare the eggs with those of hens. Describe the young goslings in general appearance. With what are they covered? What care do the parents give to their goslings? Describe how the parents take their family afield. How do they induce their goslings to go into the water for the first time? How do they protect them from enemies? 4. How does the gander or goose fight? What are the chief weapons? How is the head held when the attack is made? How does the goose clean her feathers, wings and feet? How does she oil her feathers? Where does she get the oil and with what does she apply it? 6. How much of goose language do you understand? What is the note of alarm? How is defiance and distrust expressed? How does a goose look when hissing? What is the constant note of the gosling? 7. Give such instances as you may know illustrating the intelligence of geese, their loyalty and bravery. 8. Write an English Theme on "The Canada Goose, its appearance, nesting habits, and migrations.' Supplementary reading-Birds that Hunt and are Hunted, Blanchan; "In Quest of Waptonk The Wild," Northern Trails, Long; "The Homesickness of Kehonka," Kindred of the Wild, Roberts; Wild Geese, Celia Thaxter. A sea-gull. Photo by G. K. Gilbert. HAT the turkey and not the eagle should have been chosen for our national bird, was the conviction of Benjamin Franklin. It is a native of our country, it is beautiful as to plumage, and like the American Indian, it has never yielded entirely to the influences of civilization. Through the hundreds of years of domestication it still retains many of its wild habits. In fact, it has many qualities in common with the red man. Take for instance its sun dance, which any one can witness who is willing to get up early enough in the morning and who has a flock of turkeys at hand. Miss Ada Georgia made a pilgrimage to witness this dance and she describes it thus: "While the dawn was still faint and gray, the long row of birds on the ridge-pole stood up, stretched legs and wings and flew down into the orchard beside the barnyard and began a curious, high-stepping, 'flip-flop' dance on the frosty grass. It consisted of little, awkward, up-and-down jumps, varied by forward springs of about a foot, with lifted wings. Both hens and males danced, the latter alternately strutting and hopping and all 'singing,' the hens calling 'Quit, quit,' the males accompanying with a high-keyed rattle, sounding like a hard wood stick drawn rapidly along a picket fence. As the sun came up and the sky brightened, the exhibition ended suddenly when 'The Captain,' a great thirty pound gobbler and leader of the flock, made a rush at one of his younger brethren who had dared to be spreading a tail too near to his majesty." |