ICG OUR DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



to tlie Ligli northern latitudes to breed on the 

 return of spring. But the grey-lag wild goose, 

 which is the origin of our domestic race, was 

 once a permanent resident in our island, and 

 bred in great numbers, in the fenny counties. 

 From the causes alluded to in, our notice of the 

 wild duck, it is now entirely banished from its 

 former haunts, and though a few small flocks 

 visit our island during the winter, it is far 

 more rarely to be met with, than either of the 

 three preceding winter visitants. 



Though partially migratory, the grey-lag 

 cannot be considered as a high northern bird, 

 for, according to M. Temminck, it seldom 

 advances much beyond the fifty-third degree of 

 north latitude, its geographical distribution 

 extending over the central and eastern parts of 

 Europe, northern Asia, and some parts of 

 western Africa, where it haunts marshes, lakes, 

 and the borders of inland seas. 



Mr. Gould, in his birds of Europe, says, 

 "The grey-lag is known to inhabit all the 

 extensive marshy districts, throughout the 

 temperate portions of Europe generally, its 

 range northward not extending beyond the 

 fifty-third degree of latitude, while southwards 

 it extends to the northern portions of Africa 



