THE CANADA GOOSE. 



593 



about the bird tells unmistakably of such a 

 mixed origin. The breed has more of the solid 

 carriage of the Toulouse ; the brown has become 

 more grey ; the knob is less prominent in pro- 

 portion ; the neck is shorter and thicker ; and — ■ 

 most significant of all — the eggs have become 

 fewer, and often as large as those of the older 

 domesticated varieties. The voice also is deeper 

 and more approaching that of the domestic 

 goose, and the flesh more of the same character 

 as in that breed. In the only American 

 specimens of " African " geese which we have 

 seen, a strong element of the ordinary domestic 

 goose was quite unmistakable. It is not neces- 

 sary to suppose any recent cross-breeding, as 

 some of the Indian birds may quite possibly have 

 possessed all the present features of the African ; 

 but it is significant that energetic crossing with 

 the European breeds is now openly practised 

 and strongly recommended by American writers, 

 and it is probable that it has taken place on 

 many occasions. The illustration herewith was 

 given in an American poultry journal as one 

 of the " Chinese " goose, and originally procured 

 for this work as such ; but on finally tracing it 

 back, with considerable trouble, to its origin, we 

 found that it really represents a photograph of 

 the " African," in which character it is reproduced 

 here. 



This fact illustrates the direct connection 

 between the Chinese and African goose; but it 

 -annot be questioned that in the American 

 modified race, however produced, we have the 

 most valuable and useful form of the breed. 

 Even the African, however, varies considerably. 

 While Mr. Cushman places it first in size, and 

 states that it lays the largest eggs of any, but 

 does not put the number higher than in the 

 Embden, if as high, Mr. Rankin docs not put 

 size so strongly, but states that his birds are 

 better layers than ever, and reach about sixty 

 eggs per annum. These differences are largely 

 accounted for by the fact that recent American 

 breeders have chiefly crossed the African goose, 

 when crossed at all, with the Embden, in order 

 to get as many white goslings as possible. 



The great merit of this characteristic race, 

 however, is as a breeder. Every goose breeder 

 knows that the ordinary goose is slow to mate, 

 and requires time, as presently mentioned. 

 Both Chinese and African ganders mate earlier 

 and more quickly, and at a pinch will mate suc- 

 cessfully with one or two more geese, being 

 ardent in disposition. The curious fact is also 

 noticed that even an Embden gander will be 

 prolific earlier, and mate with more African 

 geese than with his own variety. As the cross 

 makes weight early, and is of good quality, these 



facts are of value. There is of course nothing 

 remarkable, to English notions, in ganders of 

 20 to 24 lbs. ; but as these are fully equal to the 

 American weights for other breeds, the real 

 aspect of the matter is the existence of a breed 

 equal to Embdens and Toulouse in size, with 

 the advantages just stated ; and from this point 

 of view the African, as developed in America, 

 appears well worthy of attention from English 

 goose-breeders who desire an early market. As 

 before intimated, the cross-bred produce are not 

 hybrids, but simply crosses, and perfectly fertile. 



The 



Canada 



Goose. 



The only other breed requiring particular 

 mention is the Canada goose, the ordinary wild 

 goose of Canada and the United States, but 

 which has a much wider distribution. 

 It has often been shot on the wing 

 in England, where quite wild flocks 

 of it have been seen ; and it ranges 

 through most of the Arctic regions, 

 at least as far north as Spitzbergen. This goose 

 used to form an important portion of the food of 

 the Hudson's Bay Company's trappers, one 

 goose being reckoned as a day's ration, and 

 recorded in the Company's annals as averaging 

 about 9 lbs. The size and weight are thus equal 

 to those of the wild Grey-lag, though in com- 

 parison with domestic geese it must be called a 

 rather small breed. The somewhat long body, 

 the long and slender neck, and the character and 

 shape of the head, much resemble those of the 

 swans. Buffon states, indeed, that at Versailles 

 in his time the domesticated Canada geese had 

 bred, or hybridised with the swans kept there, 

 and the older naturalists gave this goose the 

 generic name of Cygnopsis Canadensis : but its 



