GREY-LAG GOOSE. . 115 
In addition to which it has other qualifications, proving the 
fallacy of the proverbial libel, ‘As silly as a Goose.’ Thus its 
watchfulness at night-time has always been noted; and it 
certainly is endowed with a strong organ of self-preservation, 
for, as it has been well observed, you may drive over cat, dog, 
hen, pig, or even pigeon, but few, if any, can record an instance 
of driving over a Tame Goose; and as for Wild-Geese, there 
is no animal, biped or quadruped, so difficult to deceive or 
approach, their sense of hearing, seeing, and smelling being 
so exceedingly acute; independent of which they seem to act 
in so organized and cautious a manner when feeding or 
roosting, as to defy all danger. Sportsmen could give instances 
without number of their utmost skill being of no avail in 
attempting to approach these birds; either a careless step on 
a piece of gravel, or an eddy of wind, however lght, or 
letting them perceive the smallest portion of their persons, 
has rendered useless whole hours of manceuvring. 
Of its attachment to the human race, Pliny, an ancient 
Roman writer, gives several instances; one only we select, as 
closely resembling that with which we shall conclude. A person 
named Lacydes, a philosopher, had a Goose, which took so 
strong a fancy to him that it would never willingly leave him, 
by day or night. Wherever he went the Goose was his 
companion; if he went abroad and walked in the public streets, 
the bird followed him; and in his own house, always forced 
itself into his presence. The philosopher, struck with this 
constant and strange attachment, seems to have considered it 
as in some way connected with religious feelings; and accord- 
ingly, when at last it died, he was at the expense of bestowing 
upon it a magnificent funeral. 
Our next instance occurred in Scotland. A Goose, a year 
old, formed a similar attachment to a person in Elgin, and 
would follow him any distance, even through the crowd and 
bustle of the main street. One day, when going down this 
street, its master went into a hair-dresser’s shop to be shaved, 
whereupon the bird waited patiently till the operation was 
finished, and then accompanied him to the house of a friend; 
after which it proceeded home with him. Change of dress 
seemed to make no difference in the bird’s power of 
distinguishing its master, for in whatever dress he appeared, 
the Goose recognised him; and whenever he spoke it responded 
by a cry expressive of satisfaction. 
Another similar case is on record in Germany. An aged 
