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Home Nature-Study Course. 



bill so that it cannot get away; and then with his strong wings he beats the life 

 out of the imprisoned victim. I remember vividly a whipping which a 

 gander gave me when I was a child, holding me fast by the blouse while he 

 did it, and it certainly compared favorably as a punishment with any whipping ever 

 administered by my parents. A goose will hiss and fight also, but usually leaves 

 the initiative of the attack to her lord and master. 



There is no question but that the goose language is varied and expresses many 

 things. They talk to each other and call from afar; they shriek in warning and 

 in general make such a turmoil that people "do not enjoy them. The goslings, even 



after being almost grown, keep up a constant 

 pee-wee, pee-wee, which is nerve-racking, but 

 there is unquestionably a chance for some very 

 good and interesting investigation in discovering 

 just what the different notes mean. 



A goose is very particular about her toilet; she 

 cleans her breast and back and beneath her 

 wings with her bill, and she cleans her bill with 

 her foot; she also cleans the top of her head 

 with her foot, and she cleans the underside of 

 her wing with the foot of that side. A goose 

 when oiling her feathers starts the oil gland flow- 

 ing with her beak, then rubs her head over it 

 until it is well oiled ; she then uses her head 

 to apply the oil to the feathers of her back and 

 breast. When thus polishing her feathers she 

 will twist the head over and over and back and 

 forth and also pull it lengthwise to add to its 

 efficiency. There are many instances on record 

 showing the great intelligence and loyalty of 

 geese. The following is an interesting instance 

 which came under the observation of Miss Ada 

 Georgia and occurred in Elmira, N. Y. : A pet 

 gander was the last survivor of a brood of gos- 

 lings hatched by a hen and had no companions 

 of his own kind. A small boy took sole 

 care of him and the bird never let his master get out of his sight if he 

 could avoid it. He obeyed as a dog would. Occasionally he would appear 

 in the schoolyard where the pupils would tease him by making a pretense 

 of attacking his little owner. The gander would lift his wings, straighten his 

 neck so that his head was thrust forward slightly below the center of his body, 

 and rush at the assailant, hissing loudly. He did not bite, further than to get a 

 grip with his beak on a fold of clothing and then whipped with his wings. His 

 blows were severe and it was a test of bravery among the boys to so challenge 

 him. His fidelity to his little master was extreme, as was shown during an 

 illness of the boy which confined him to his bed. At first the bird wandered about, 

 honking and neglected the food given to him by other members of the family. In 

 great concern they drove him to the side of the house where his master could 

 look from the window and he immediately cheered up, took his food, and would not 



The boy with his pet gander. 



