Why’s it so quiet here?

[Judith]

Phil wrote on Topica (but I have to reply here):

BTW, what do they call Canada Geese, in Canada?

By analogy with some other English names for ‘foreign’ things,
I would say probably “English Geese” –

Compare:
To take French leave = filer a l’anglaise
French seam = couture anglaise
French letter = capote anglaise

:unsure: 😡

[philreckless]

Actually, they call them Canada Geese!
But, has anyone been to an ‘English Garden’ in (mainland) Europe?
Boy, that’s an eye-opener!
😉

[KeithD]

This Canadian site supports Phil – not surprisingly, since the beast’s Latin name is “Goose of Canada”: http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/cdngoose.htm

The site also says this, some of which surprised me:

Branta canadensis
This is probably the best known Canadian goose. In the southern inhabited parts of the country, their strong distinctive call is associated with the advent of spring and fall.
They are prized by hunters as one of the choicest game fowl, but their wariness, together with protective regulations, prevent any serious depletion of their numbers.
These birds mate for life, and the family group remains together for several months after hatching the young. A gander protecting the nest makes a very formidable adversary, and his wings are capable of delivering a blow of surprising force, sufficient to rout foxes and similar predators, not to mention humans.

No match for Leopold’s thighs, though.

[Author]

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