GEESE 207 



away on the grass, and the birds, observing that he 

 had stopped in his walk to regard them, left off 

 feeding, or whatever they were doing, and came 

 to him. Not to be fed — it was impossible to be- 

 lieve that they had any such motive ; it was solely 

 and purely a friendly feeling towards him which 

 caused them immediately to respond to his look, 

 and to approach him, to salute him, in their way. 

 And when they had approached to within three or 

 four yards of where he stood, advancing with a 

 quiet dignity, and had then uttered a few soft low 

 sounds, accompanied with certain graceful gestures, 

 they turned and left him ; but not abruptly, with 

 their backs towards him — oh, no, they did nothing 

 so common ; they were not like other birds — they 

 were perfect in everything ; and, moving from him, 

 half paused at intervals, half turning first to one 

 side then the other, inclining their heads as they 

 went. Here our old friend rose and paced up and 

 down the floor, bowing to this side and that and 

 making other suitable gestures, to try to give 

 us some faint idea of the birds' gentle courtesy 

 and exquisite grace. It was, he assured us, most 

 astonishing ; the birds' gestures and motions 

 were those of a human being, but in their per- 

 fection immeasurably superior to anything of the 



