THE TRUE GEESE. 



All the species of Geese which are 

 known with certainty to occur within 

 Indian Hmits belong to the group of 

 which the Grey Lag-Goose is the oldest 

 representative, and consequently they 

 are termed True Geese. 



The Geese are hardly separable by any 

 characters from the larger Ducks. Of 

 the Geese, however, it may be said that 

 they have longer legs than the Ducks 

 and they are placed in a more forward 

 position. As a consequence, Geese are 

 able to walk and run with considerable 

 ease and comparative grace. They feed 

 more on the ground, and less on the 

 water, than Ducks. Their bills are 

 furnished with strong serrations, more 

 adapted for cropping herbage than for 

 sifting water and mud. Geese have only 

 an autumn moult, and the sexes are alike. 



The True Geese, together with the 

 Swan-bill Goose (which is described 

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