THE GEESE OF THE PACIFIC COAST
The hunting grounds of the Pacific Coast have a greater variety of geese than any other section of America. Here are to be found every species known to the Eastern states, except the barnacle brant of the Atlantic. But in return for the absence of this species of sea brant we have the black sea brant, the white-cheeked goose, the ross goose, the emperor goose (none of which are found east of the Rocky Mountains) and the hutchins goose, the lesser snow goose, the white-fronted goose and the little brown brant, which are only stragglers east of the Mississippi valley, and only sparingly seen that far east. Thus it will be seen that within the Pacific Coast hunting grounds there are four genera and nine species of the goose family. All of these are found in the northern parts of these hunting grounds, but only about one-half of them visit the southern parts. Increased areas of cultivation, the drainage of vast sections of marshy lands and the absence of laws for their protection have greatly reduced the once wonderful supply.
Acres of geese sounds fabulous, yet miles of geese is the only expression which conveys an adequate idea of the wonderful numbers in which these birds were seen on the Coast half a century ago. The great majority of the geese of the Coast at that time were of the white varieties, and it is a veritable fact that in California, and especially in the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Los Angeles valleys, these geese congregated during the winter months in such numbers as to whiten the plains for miles. Many flocks of honkers were mixed with them, as well as some of the other darker varieties. These darker species of the family, however, were far more plentiful in the northern parts of the State than in the southern. That part of the Sacramento valley known as the Maine Prairies has always been a favorite feeding place for the Canada goose and its subspecies.
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THE CANADA GOOSE, OR HONKER
(Branta canadensis)
The Canada goose, or honker as it is commonly called, was and is quite common on the Coast. This goose, the largest of the Americans, has a wide distribution, ranging from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Arctic to Central America. They breed as far south as southern Oregon, at any rate, and possibly on the higher mountain lakes as far south as Mexico, for they seem to make their appearance on the Coast shooting grounds of Mexico nearly, if not quite, as early as they do here.
The flesh of the Canada goose is the equal if not the superior of the tame goose. Its flight, except when migrating long distances, is generally low, and in such cases it can be called by the hunter to within shooting distance.
Color—Head and neck, black, with a white stripe running from the chin back of the eye to near the top of the head; upper parts, dark brownish gray; breast, dull, light gray, grading into white at the abdomen; tail and wings, black. Both sexes alike.