BIRDS IN AUTHORITY 45 



on the islands. There was one island where the geese 

 used to congregate every year on arrival in large 

 numbers, and here one autumn some years ago a 

 goose was caught by the leg in a steel trap set for 

 a fox. The keeper from a distance saw the whole 

 vast gathering of geese rise up and circle round and 

 round in a cloud, making a tremendous outcry, and 

 going to the spot he found the bird struggling violently 

 in the trap. He took it home to another and larger 

 island close by where his master, my informant's 

 friend, had a farm. From that day the wild geese 

 never settled on that islet, which had been used as a 

 resting-place for very many years. The bird he had 

 accidentally caught was an old gander, and had its 

 leg smashed; but the keeper set to work to repair 

 the injury, and after binding it up he put the bird 

 in an outhouse and eventually it got quite well. He 

 then pinioned it and put it out with the other birds. 

 A little while before the old gander had been caught 

 the foxes had become so troublesome at the farm 

 that it was found necessary to secure all the birds 

 every night in enclosures and houses made for the 

 purpose, and as the birds preferred to be out the 

 keeper had to go round and spend a good deal of time 

 every evening in collecting and driving them in. 

 Now before the old wild goose had been able to go 

 about many days with the others it was noticed that 

 he was acquiring a kind of mastery over them, and 

 every day as evening approached he began to try 

 to lead and, failing in that, to drive them to the 

 enclosures and buildings. The keeper, curious to see 



