Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/241

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T LESSER SNOW GOOSE Tame Wild Geese By WALTER K. FISHER With photographs by the author iHE article entitled 'Tame Wild Ducks,' in March -April Bird -Lore, suggests the recording of another and more re- markable illustration of the susceptibility of wild fowl to the lures of food and protection. During a visit from my father, Dr. A. K. Fisher, last winter, Mr. Joseph Mailliard took us to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. This park is on the western border of the city, and the lake is a small body of water, a part of which is in the form of a ring, from the presence of a large hilly island near the center. One end of the pond is fenced off, so that boats are not permitted to enter. Here the water-birds congregate in greatest numbers. We visited the lake first on January 3, and found the water dotted with many Coots and Ducks, while along the banks numbers of Wild Geese sauntered like barn -yard fowl. Through Mr. Mailliard 's foresight we were fully armed with bread, which attracted a horde of Coots or Mud-hens {Fulica americana) to our feet. At the first indication of food they raced toward us from all directions, creating a great commotion among the Ducks, which were resting or leisurely feeding at a slight distance from shore. Among the Ducks were Shovellers, Mallards, Baldpates, American Scaups, Lesser Scaups, Can- vas-backs, Buffle- neads, Golden -eyes and Ruddies. The first were by far the most numerous. Mr. Mailliard se- cured some good snap-shots of an

.>■'.' WHITE-CHEEKED GOOSE 193