The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1891-12-18
GOOD GOOSE STORIES.
How the Wild Bird Adapts Himself to
civilized Surroundings.

How the Wild Bird Adapts Himself TO
Civilized surroundings.
Few wild geese are seen i'm Colorado
of late years, though there are thou
sands of them found usually on the
large reservations in the west and
northwest. As rule an Indian will
not eat goose or duck meat rs long as
he can get ''cotton-tail" or prairie
dog; 1t Is not the kind of meat they
like. On Green river in eastern Utah
thousands OF geese congregatc in the
tall and remain during the winter. The
Indians hardly ever shoot at them. and
they flock together, sometimes as many
as ten thousand, on sandbar, and
keep up "a hideous noise day and night
all winter long
Wild geese, under certain conditions
when caught, become quite domestic.
In Mecker there are three owned at the
Meeker hotel which have been there
nearly five years. They were caught
when young, and for awhile after being
grown their wings were kept clipped.
Afterward no attention was paid them.
and they were left To take care of them
selves, but they have never attempted
to leave, though they ramble about the
town unrestrained
The superstition usually prevails that
wild geese build their nests in the long
grass and bushes fringing the isolated
streams and lakes, where they usually
congregate to rear their young Such,
however, is not the case, for their nests
are often found in the top of trees.
Quite resort for wild geese is found
at the head W aters of the Yampa river,
and IA year ago two boys, living near
Steamboat springs, found nest in the
top of II cottonwood tree. The goose
was sitting on the nest, and the two
boys shot her off and then one
climbed up to inspect the nest. II
contained quite number of eggs, and
the next thing discussed was how To
get them to the grouud. First they
tried dropping them, the boy on the
ground holding his hat, but after break
ing two that plan was abandoned, and
then the boy up the tree thought of
novel plan that worked To pcrfec-
ton. He took of his boots and socks,
and, placing the latter inside the boots
to form n soft lining, carefully placed
the eggs within, then fastened the boots
to the waistband OF his trousers by
loosening his suspenders upon either
side and passing the ends through the
tinger-straps of the boots and again
buttoning them To the waistband. Thus
arranged, he successfully descended the
tree.
The eggs, it seems, are next To indie
structible, and will sand plenty of
rough usage. In the present case the
boys were on horse back, and rode
around all afternoon with the eggs
strapped in coat or saddle. They
were placed that night in u pan until
the morning following, and then it oc.
Cured to one of the boys to place them
under n hen, which was done Seven
of the eggs Matched, and the goslings
grew To bc full-grown geese. They
would go To the river every day and re.
turn to the accustomed roost every
night, regularly, and wait around for
their breakfast before going to the river
again in the morning.
One day n sportsman from Denver
came to the place for u few days recrca-
IlOD. Ilt SiN TIC geese III lnt TlNtr ana
began shooting at them. lie showed
his grecnncss from the fact that he
would shoot one and wade into the
river and get it, and then go out and
from the bank shoot another one, and
the geese all the while never thought OF
flying, but kept swimming about him
frantically screaming.
Another odd case was learned of at
Steamboat springs a few days ago.
Miss Lulu Crawford has three wild Cos
lings which were caught by her soon
after being Matched. They were placed
in box in which II very small bantam
hen had taken IA notion 10 sit. She at
once adopted the goslings and seemed
To be as proud of them rs IL they were
her own chicks. When seen 10y the
writer the goslings were two.thirds
grown and four times as large as the
hen, though she insisted on being a
mother to them still and followed them
about all day. At night she would get
them into n convenient spot and try To
cover them. Denver Times.
lie Knew Ills sister.
Little Dicl-Is this the house You