THE STmnnNci, or natatorial group. 175 



lively unfit, to eat. The excuse for this bar- 

 barity is that the feathers thus obtained are 

 superior in elasticity to those plucked from 

 the dead bird ; besides which a live bird -will 

 constantly renew its plumage to undergo re- 

 peated strippings, and thus bring increase of 

 profit, without the necessary destruction of 

 the sufferer. 



Both the feathers and quills of the goose 

 have to undergo a certain preparation, in order 

 to render them fit for the sale of the uphol- 

 sterer or stationer. By various processes and 

 by being subjected to heat, the vascular mem- 

 brane adherent to the barrel, both externally 

 and internally, becomes dried up and shrivelled, 

 and all fatty, or oleaginous matter is removed. 



The management of geese in ancient Italy 

 appears to have differed but little from that 

 practised in modern France and England ; 

 nor — though according to Livy, a flock of 

 geese by their loud outcries saved the Roman 

 capitol from the Gauls, when the watch dogs 

 slept — did the Romans treat their geese very 

 mercifully. It is true that annually, on the 

 return of that memorable day, a silver goose 

 was carried through the city in solemn pro- 

 cession, and dogs were sacrificed, and that 



