152 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



found it to be true on many a shooting expedition. 

 Neither is there the danger of wounding a comrade 

 should he shift his position, a circumstance which has 

 befallen some friends of the writer in youthful days, on 

 the Kentish Saltings. 



It came about a few days after the capture of my goose 

 that my genial hostess served the venerable bird — for 

 so it proved to be — at table. I had heard of geese of 

 tender years and of questionable age ; indeed, it was 

 averred by a writer in a contemporary that such a bird 

 has been known to weather from thirty to forty winters. 



At all events, the one under review completely beat 

 my best endeavours to carve it, and I found it prac- 

 tically impossible to negotiate one of its legs, and so did 

 my canine friend, to whom it was afterwards offered. 

 Teeth were useless. 



