388 GEESE. 



An old Goose, which had been for a fortnight hatching 

 in a farmer's kitchen, was perceived on a sudden to bo 

 taken violently ill. She soon after left the nest, and 

 repaired to an outhouse, where there was a young Goose 

 of the first year, which she brought with her into the 

 kitchen. The young one immediately scrambled into 

 the old one's nest, sat, hatched, and afterwards brought 

 up the brood. The old Goose, as soon as the young one 

 had taken her place, sat down by the side of the nest, 

 and shortly after died. As the young Goose had never 

 been in the habit of entering the kitchen before, the 

 fact can only be accounted for by supposing that the old 

 one had some way of communicating her thoughts and 

 anxieties, which the young one was perfectly able to 

 understand. We give this anecdote on the authority of 

 a Mr. Brew, who states it to have occurred at Ennisj in 

 July, 1828. 



So strong are the affections of these loving birds, that 

 some who have exposed themselves to their vengeance, 

 have occasionally found themselves fearfully worsted. 

 A Game Cock, near Ashford, in Kent, priding himself, no 

 doubt, on his prowess, happened, a short time ago, to 

 take offence at a Goose, during the time of incubation ; 

 and, attacking her with great fury, pecked out one of 

 her eyes, and destroyed several of her eggs. An old 

 Gander, seeing the danger to which his mate was ex- 

 posed, flew to her assistance, and many desperate battles 

 took place. One day, in his absence, the Cock renewed 

 his attack upon the Goose ; when the Gander, hearing 

 the bustle, hurried up, and seizing the Cock, dragged 

 him into the pond, where he ducked him repeatedly, and 

 finally drowned him. 



Another somewhat similar instance occurred at Ast- 

 bury, near Congleton, in Cheshire. Several Geese were 

 feeding near a barn, where some men were threshing, 

 and a Sparrow near them, when a Hawk suddenly 

 pounced upon the latter, and would have inevitably car- 

 ried it off, had not the Gander flown to its rescue, and 



