172 Wild Geese 



in a position of semi-flexion, and locking them rigidly in that position 

 so as to offer the greatest possible resistance to the air, while at the 

 same time the tail is fully expanded. Each Goose is, in fact, his 

 own parachute. The head and neck are thrown backwards, in 

 order to bring the centre of gravity further behind, and, lastly, 

 the legs are extended in preparation for their meeting the ground. 

 Considering their great weight. Geese alight on the ground with 

 very little visible shock. But this must really be greater than 

 appears to us, as they make a considerable disturbance if they 

 alight on water. 



The force of their descent is however best seen on ice. They 

 will circle round and round over the ice, of which thev are comically 

 apprehensive, before making their landing on the slippery surface. 

 The ice offers no hold or resistance to their extended feet, and they 

 slither along the surface for some distance before being able to 

 pull up, and are, no doubt, extremely foot-sore by the time their 

 bodies attain a position of equilibrium. 



Geese dislike ice so much that they will rarely alight on it 

 Swans, on the other hand, though they probably dislike ice more 

 than Geese, have no choice except that of migrating south. The}'- 

 hate the land more than the ice. Swans are at their best in the water, 

 and cut a decent enough figure in the air, but on solid ground of any 

 kind they are altogether out of place. They are big birds, with their 

 feet set far back and all their weight in front. I watched a herd of 

 sixty or seventy Swans settle on a frozen loch ; their actions were 

 much the same as Geese, as regards braking, but iniinitely more 

 clumsy. Their unbalanced weight drove them along the ice at 

 great speed, and collisions and cannons were taking place in every 

 direction with other unwilling sliders. The actual landing of these 

 great top-heavy birds, and their subsequent efforts to recover their 

 dignity, were comic be}-ond words. 



In the first days of the frost, all the Swans on the island were 

 acting as their own ice-breakers, during the day swimming in the 

 open pools and beating the frozen edges with their wings, and 

 then charging through it, doing their utmost to preserve open 

 water. 



Special Senses. 



From time immemorial, the Goose has been recognized as 

 a bird with remarkably acute hearing-power. Anyone who goes 

 through a farm-yard at night will realize the impossibility of 

 passing without some comments from the Geese. Anyone who 

 has ever tried to stalk wild Geese, whether by day or night, 

 will know how fatal the smallest noise is to the success of the 

 stalk. 



Sight. — Their sight is extraordinarily keen and powerful. I 

 do not think that any other British bird equals, or indeed comes near 



