646 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Chinese Geese. There are two varieties of Chinese geese, the white and the brown. 

 The former are in plumage pure white throughout, with orange-colored legs and bill, and a 

 large orange knob at the base of the bill. They are large in size, with long slender necks 

 gracefully curved, which gives them a swan-like appearance. A great peculiarity of this 

 breed is the great difference in size between the males and females, the former being nearly a 

 third larger than the latter. They are an ornamental fowl, hardy, easily raised, and an 

 excellent table fowl. They are prolific in eggs, which are of a small size compared with the 

 size of the fowl, and sometimes rear three broods in a single season. The brown variety have 

 rather a large, long head, dark -brown or black bill, with a black knob at its base; color of 

 plumage grayish-brown, darker on the back, wings, head, and back of the neck than other 

 portions of the body; legs dark, or dusky-orange in color. 



African Geese. Birds of this breed are quite large, and have one peculiar character 

 istic, which consists of a large black knob at the base of the upper mandible, and a heavy 

 dewlap under the throat; for which reason they are known in some sections as the &quot; Brown 

 Knobbed Goose.&quot; Early importations are said to have attained the weight of fifty-six pounds 

 per pair. They are somewhat rare in this country, but are really a valuable variety. The 

 color of the plumage is mainly dark-gray, the front part of the neck and under portions of 

 the body being light-gray. Bill black; legs dark-orange. They are nocturnal in habit, 

 excellent layers, and the flesh of the young birds is of fine texture and flavor. 



The Canada, or Wild Goose. This is a native of the United States and Canada. 

 It breeds in the far North, spends the spring and autumn in the temperate regions, and goes 

 to the South, even to the Gulf of Mexico, in the winter, going North again towards the 

 approach of spring. Wilson was of the opinion that the range of the Canada goose &quot; extended 

 to the utmost polar point, and the silent desolation of unknown countries, shut out from the 

 prying eye of man by everlasting and insuperable barriers of ice.&quot; Its curious habit of flight 

 and peculiar cry are familiar to every one. This bird is large in size, being about the weight 

 of the Gray Leg goose. It has a long, slender neck, which gives it something of the appear 

 ance of a swan. The head, bill, and a large portion of the neck are black, with a white band 

 about the throat. The feathers on the back and upper part of the body are a brownish.gray 

 with light edges, which shades through light-gray to white on the under part. 



The wing quills and tail are nearly black, the legs are dusky color, nearly black. It is 

 easily domesticated, and is said to be the most sagacious of any of the goose tribe. When 

 hatched from eggs of the wild bird, they often become thoroughly domesticated in the first 

 generation. It breeds freely with the other varieties of geese, and when domesticated retains 

 much of the game flavor of the wild fowl. 



Egyptian Geese. This variety of fowl is noted for its beautiful plumage and stately 

 carriage. It is sometimes called the Nile Goose, and extends from Alexandria to the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and is frequently seen in England in a wild state. It is quite rare in this 

 country, and is said to be a poor breeder. The head is of medium size and rather long, black 

 and gray in color, with a chestnut patch around the eyes, which are of an orange color; the 

 bill is of medium size and length, purple or bluish-red in color; neck rather small and of 

 medium length. The back is narrow, curving from the base of the neck to the tail; body 

 long and slender. The color of the plumage of the neck is gray and black ; that of the breast 

 partially gray, being of a chestnut color at the center; the upper portion of the body is gray 

 and black, the under portion a pale buff or yellow, evenly penciled with black lines. The 

 wings are white at the shoulders, with a narrow black stripe of metallic lustre, and the pri 

 maries and secondaries a glossy black. On the wing joints are strong, white, horny spurs 

 about five-eighths of an inch long, instead of the hard knobs which most of the varieties of 



