240 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



this circumstance (probably a mere legend), that 

 " the goose is very vigilant and watchfull : witnesse 

 the capitol of Rome, which by the meanes of geese 

 was defended and saved ; whereas at the same time, 

 through the default of dogs (which should have 

 given warning), all had like to have bin lost."* 

 ./Elian again tells us that the Gauls bribed the dogs 

 of the capitol to silence with food, which the geese 

 refused and screamed out ; and hence it was infer- 

 red by Columella that geese are preferable to dogs 

 for watching a farm, while Vegetius does not hesi- 

 tate to assert that they are the most vigilant senti- 

 nels that can be planted in a besieged city. 



Whatever truth may be in the narratives given 

 by Livy and ^Blian, we are quite certain that, so 

 far from possessing any superiority either in hearing 

 or smelling, the goose is much inferior to many oth- 

 er birds in these respects. This is easily proved 

 by the simple experiment of trying the effect of va- 

 rious sounds upon the birds, taking care to have the 

 cause thereof concealed from their view. We have, 

 for example, caused a dog to bark behind a wall on 

 the other side of which geese were feeding, without 

 their appearing to take any notice of it, any more 

 than they did when we shouted aloud on purpose to 

 alarm them. When the dog, however, was brought 

 into view, they took immediate alarm. 



The correct view of the matter, as it appears to 

 us, was first hinted at by Albertus Magnus, who says 

 the goose sleeps so lightly that it is awakened by 

 the least noise. The profoundness of sleep, indeed, 

 is found to be in proportion to the quantity of brain 

 and the rapidity of circulation, and both these being 

 in birds unfavourable to sleep, renders them very 

 easily awakened. The hearing, also, according to 

 M. Cabani, though it is not so soon overpowered by 

 sleep as sight, smell, and taste, is much more easily 



* Hist. Nat., x., 22, by Holland. 



