, Wise 
GUE Sem gicy 
<a ema 
ANCESTOR OF THE DOMESTICATED GEESE 
The gray lag goose, here illustrated, was found all over Europe and northern Asia, not many 
years ago, in countless numbers. 
at the time of its moult. 
(Fig. 10.) 
any threatening danger or conspicuous 
object. Notwithstanding this watch- 
fulness, in case of actual danger the 
gander is the first to take wing with a 
loud cackle, or rather cry, full of fear, 
leaving the care of saving his children 
to the female, which, it must be owned, 
fulfils her duty with complete self- 
sacrifice. Her first care in the presence 
of danger is indeed to hide her young 
brood wherever possible in the grass or 
undergrowth, and if there be water at 
hand the brood will sometimes rush in 
headlong and seek safety in diving. 
“Tf a gosling be caught and removed 
from the brood, it is said that the 
mother will fly at the robber and pursue 
him for a considerable distance. Both 
goslings and old birds, when they wish 
to hide, will lie down flat on the ground, 
with neck stretched out to its full length; 
this being the habit of large but not 
40 
Now it is almost extinct in Europe, being easily caught 
It was probably the first bird domesticated in Europe, because 
of the ease with which it is tamed, as well as because of its value. 
After Alphéraky. 
yet fully fledged young birds and 
moulting old ones; although it is not 
peculiar to the grey-lag, but common 
to all geese. In case of the death of 
the parents, the goslings usually join 
other broods, and are willingly received 
by the parents of the latter. 
“Naumann relates a somewhat 
strange trait in the life of the grey-lag, 
namely, that sometimes the geese will 
fly off with their offspring from a large 
sheet of water to a small one, and back 
again, without visible cause, but with 
extraordinary persistence and obstinacy. 
When they have decided to abandon 
any particular water, they carry out 
their intention at any cost, even if all 
the goslings should perish in doing so. 
The feeble young in down, when hardly 
two weeks old, are transferred by their 
parents to other waters lying within a 
two or three hours’ march across the 
