GREY LAG GOOSE. 255 



resumed the old name of Grey Lag Goose, believing that the 

 term lag, as applied to this Goose, is either a modification of 

 the English word lake, the Latin lacus, or perhaps an abbre- 

 viation of the Italian lago ; from which latter country it is even 

 probable that we might originally have obtained this our do- 

 mesticated race.* The cancUdus anser of Lucretius, which, 

 by its cackling, excited the attention of the guard and saved 

 the Eoman Capitol, was, perhaps, of the same race as those 

 we possess at the present time ; as it must be admitted to 

 be very likely that after the Komans had established them- 

 selves in this country, they would introduce many of their 

 own domesticated animals. Horace mentions as a dainty, 

 the liver of a ^vhite Goose fed on rich figs. Why the 

 domestic Goose derived from a wild grey species, should 

 become ivhite, the Author is unable to say ; but some of 

 those persons who keep Geese state, that all Ganders after a 

 certain age become white. This colour once obtained, there 

 is little or no difficulty in perpetuating it by restriction, and 

 there is a motive for perseverance, as white feathers produce 

 a better price than grey ones.f Domestic Geese are said to 

 be very long-lived ; one is recorded to have lived sixty-four 

 years, and was then killed by mistake. 



The Author, however, finds some reason to believe that 

 one other species, at least, has had a share in establishing 

 our present domestic race. Almost all the species of Geese, 

 Swans, Ducks, and Mergansers are remarkable for the 

 peculiar form of their organ of voice, or windpipe ; and so 

 peculiar as well as permanent is this anatomical character, 

 that in the males of the British species of this family (consist- 

 ing of about forty), almost all of them, but more particularly 

 the Swans, Ducks, and Mergansers, can be immediately 



* Prof. Skeat considers that laij means late, last, or slow ; consequently the 

 Grey Lag Goose is the Grey Goose which in former days lugged behind to breed 

 in our fens, when its congeners had betaken themselves to their more northern 

 head-quarters. Cf. Ibis, 1870, p. 301. 



+ White feathers may be partially induced by constant plucking. There arc 

 two white varieties of domestic Ducks derived from the Wild Duck, namely, the 

 English Aylesbury Duck and the Dutch Call Duck. 



