The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-10-29
Wild Geese in the West.

Much cunning is exhibited by these
birds in localities where they are fre-
ouentlv disturbed. We have often
seen them in the great swamps of the
Bureau Valley along the Illinois come
in about dark, when it was just too late
to draw sight, noiselessly stealing
along. so as to evade the random shot
of the hunter returning to camp after
long DAYS work. So attached are they
to their old grounds, and liable to be
pursued at night by reckless adventur-
ers, that after few warnings they bathe
the most intelligent. Should their line
of entry be discovered tonight as they
come across the marsh from the south,
to morrow night, if you watch, you may
hear the vibration of their wings as
thev pass over the timber to the north,
in their app1oach to the old rice pond,
or open water of the big slough. Upon
all other occasions, and al o when dis
turbed. they exhibit their usual pro-
pensity to indulge in gabble and goose
talk.
The most prominent among the varie-
ties il, the west is the Canada goose.
The next, and existing in great num-
bers, is the white fFonted or Laughing
goose, called by many "brant. Ot
the regular brent-R DOSE we have Dut
few. We killed one out of flock IN
the Illinois river, in 1860, on sand
bar. and believe it Is the only flock we
ever saw in that valley. The brent
GOOSE Is about half the size of the Can
ada variety. and is about two-thirds as
large as the white-fronted, mottled, or
laughing-goose. But in the absence OF
the regular brent goose, the mottled
bird known as the laughing-goose car
ries the name of bTant. And 6rdnt 1t
is. so far as the average shooter is IN
formed for few of them have ever seen
brent-goose-and this is the only bird
which, TO their knowledge, ever bore
the name. These same fellows call
partridge a pheasant, and an Engllsh
snipe a woodcock. .
It is amusing to watch a flock OF
laughing geese as they approach Ia
vorite feeding ground or resting place
They come first in the regular acute
| angle line of flight. Suddenly they
break ranks, and with one accord the
whole flock begins a series OF evoln-
| tions, tumbliDg and turning hlgh IN ar,
| and then descending in most comlcaI
| and irregular manner, to the amuse-
ment of the observer, all the Wnlle IN
| dul0inp in iabber more resembling the
| merry Laughing of a bevy OF schooi-
! Girls than auy thing else, from Whlch
16eonliarity they receive their name. AS
q table bird it is highly esteemed, and
is generally preferred to the Canada
goose. In point of numbers 1t exceeds
! the latter in this locality, while I'D otheF
narts the ratio is reversed.
Thev visit the west in March ana
! ApriI. on their regular migrations TO
| the lakes and bays of northern Mlnne-
sofa. the British possessions, and LaoFa-
dor. remaining with us sometimes as
late as May in small detachme1nts.. e
MANY are allied before they reach their
northern breeding grounds. After Fais-
| inc the usual brood, and replenlshlng
| their thinneJ ranks, they gather Tor ihe
sutnmnal return flight, and in October
we see them vending their way to their
ola and fayorite haunts, until the cold
weather drives them southwark 70 -the
Great marshes of Arkansas, and the
lower Mississippi. AS they pass north
in March, generally before a southeTiy ri
oaIe which carries them along with lIS-
lie apparent effort. their coming Is wel-
coined as a harbinger OF returning
spring. They come, too, IN large num- IN
hers. accompanied by ell the usual va
rieties of waterfowl in even greater
,,Tofnsion.- Harper's Magazine.