BIRDS IN THE CALENDAR 



be conscious of their near relations flying at 

 liberty across the>kyr /f fhe geese and ducks 

 have been remarkably transformed by the 

 process of domestication, and a comparison 

 between those of the farmyard and their 

 kindred in the marshes should illustrate not 

 only the relative value of most virtues, but 

 also the all-importance of Aristotle's how, 

 when and where. Strictly speaking, no doubt, 

 the tame birds have degenerated, both 

 mentally and physically, as surely as the 

 tame ass. They have lost the acute percep- 

 tions and swift flight of their wild relations. 

 Economically, on the other hand, they are 

 immeasurably improved, since the farmer, 

 indifferent to the more inspiring personality 

 of the grey goose and the mallard, merely 

 wants his poultry to be greedy and stupid, 

 fattening themselves incessantly for Leaden- 

 hall and easily captured when required. 



Between swans, geese and ducks there is 

 little anatomical difference, save in the 

 matter of size. The swans are the giants of 

 the race, and the swans of three continents 

 are white. It was left for Australia, land of 

 topsy-turveydom, to produce a black swan 

 128 



