DO ANIMALS TALK?
[TO THE EDATOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.$'l
SIR,—In an article headed "Do Animals Talk F" in the Spectator of March 5th, the writer says that certain shore birds, including wild geese, " pay very little attention to the calls either of their own species or of any one who can imitate them. We never heard of any one who has ever
toed to 'call' wild geese." Perhaps the writer will not take it amiss if I say that this is not quite accurate. Although a very poor performer, I have frequently succeeded in calling wild geese, and in that way getting a shot when I could not otherwise reach them; and once or twice, for amusement, I have, when passing the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park, called and obtained a reply from the Canada geese in there. In Manitoba, where wild geese are very plentiful, I have seen Indian lads call them and bring the flock back even after one or two of the number have been shot. Perhaps this is peculiar to the Canada goose, the finest goose I know of, and possibly, therefore, the biggest goose in another sense; for I do not remember ever having seen the wavy or snow goose called, and in my many hunts in the West never met any Indian or half-breed who got them in that way. It does not, of course, follow that they cannot be called, though it must be difficult for the human throat to throw their gabbling noise to any distance. It is a comparatively easy matter to imitate the " hounk " of the Canada goose.—I am
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