THE EMBDEN GOOSE. 



587 



us with this variety, is well known.' The present 

 race is called ' the new English breed,' and as it 

 exists now, is not known in Germany, except 

 as imported from England ; and, ' For the last 

 ten years there has been no chance of obtain- 

 ing a prize at any exhibition for the old type of 

 Embden.' English exhibitors, who have seen 

 the older German Embdens at shows on the 

 Continent, also say, ' They are correct in shape, 

 but too small to compete with our birds.' 



" The old Continental Embden goose, or as 

 it is spelt in Germany, Emden {A7iser doin. 

 frieslaitdicns), is sometimes, though wrongly, 

 called the ' Bremen ' goose. It derives its name 

 from the town of Embden, having been bred in 

 East Friesland, in the valley of the River Em, 

 and the adjoining Jeverland, from time imme- 

 morial. The export of feathers from East Fries- 

 land to the Levant in very early days formed an 

 important trade, and the rearing of geese on 

 the coast, in the regions of the River Em, for 

 centuries was extensive ; but the area of its 

 activity from floods and other causes gradually 

 decreased, and it is now only carried on in two 

 little villages, Riepe and Simonswolde, two or 

 three hours distant on foot from Embden. At 

 the present day, in the middle of May, Embden 

 goslings of four to five weeks old are sent from 

 that district to all parts of Germany, and also to 

 other countries, principally Hungary, Bohemia, 

 and Russia. Eggs for sitting are also sold at 

 high prices, and there is a large export of 

 feathers. 



" There is a myth in Friesland, that the geese 

 in olden days were grey, but that a wild swan, 

 which had come among them unnoticed, paired 

 with a goose, and this was the origin of what, 

 in those parts, they call their ' Embden swan 

 geese.' Apart from this myth, it is a fact that 

 Continental Embdens in moulting go through a 

 change of colour like a swan, being, it is said, 

 the only tame goose that thus changes its plum- 

 age. As soon as they grow their quills, they 

 show more or less grey feathers (sometimes pure 

 white young ones are seen, but they are invari- 

 ably ganders), a bird not becoming pure white 

 till its second autumn moult. In pure Embdens 

 as now reared in England, grey feathers in 

 young birds occasionally appear (which they lose 

 after their first moult), but careful breeders avoid 

 these swan-like propensities. It is considered 

 quite wrong for a young prize-bred Embden to 

 have any grey feathers, as these also mark a cross 

 with the Toulouse. The naturalists of Embden, 

 snd others, do not consider the Embden repre- 

 sents a distinct breed. The geese on the north 

 coasts of Holland and north-western Germany, 

 and the white Flemish goose bred in BelErium 



and northern France, may all be considered to 

 be of much the same race. The ordinary birds 

 of Friesland also resemble in many respects the 

 variety known as Pomeranian, especially when 

 the latter are white. 



" It is impossible to state when Embden 

 geese were first imported into England. In the 

 beginning of the last century a great deal of 

 poultry was reared in Nesserland, close to 

 Embden, and as there was a brisk trade in fowls 

 between England and Embden, it is probable 

 that geese were also imported. Mowbray re- 

 marks, 'At present (1815) Embden geese are 

 in the highest esteem,' but respecting their table 

 qualities he adds, ' I am unable to say, having 

 yet had no experience in this variety.' From 

 this latter remark it might be inferred that this 

 variety was a somewhat new addition to English 

 geese. English writers about fifty years ago 

 say these geese had been imported ' some time 

 ago ' from Embden in Hanover, and also from 

 Holland, and at the time they wrote birds 

 were still being largely imported. They state 

 that Embdens differed in no way from our 

 white geese in England ' except from their 

 great size and uniform clear white plumage.' 

 Pure stock was kept, and they were largely used 

 for crossing to improve our common white 

 geese. The breed, as it exists at present, 

 owes something to a cross with Toulouse 

 geese, the object having been to increase the 

 size, while still trying to retain intact the dis- 

 tinctive attributes of the Embden breed. 



" Embden geese were exported from Ger- 

 many to America in 1821 as 'Bremen' geese, 

 but the letter relative to the care of the geese on 

 the voyage, addressed to the captain of the ship, 

 was dated from Embden, showing Bremen to 

 have been merely the port of embarkation. In 

 1 85 2 a pair were again sent to America as 

 Bremen geese. Some were exported direct 

 from Embden in 1882. 



" The advantage of Embden geese over 

 Toulouse in rearing is, that while the Toulouse 

 perhaps is susceptible to greater growth for 

 extra care, the Embden is better grown under 

 neglect than the Toulouse. Embdens are very 

 good foragers, and by this means assist in keep- 

 ing down the food bill. The chief advantage 

 of Embden.s, however, is their rapid growth. 

 They are well grown and ready for killing at 

 an earlier age than are the Toulouse, and thus 

 Embden goslings can be got ready for the 

 ' green ' goose trade in the autumn, which is 

 impossible with the Toulouse. Embdens look 

 their best for table just before Christmas, when 

 their feathers are well up. Owing to their 

 white plumage they dress more quickly, and 



