64 GREY-LAG GOOSE. 



As soon as the Goose has laid her full number of eggs, 

 she plucks the down off her breast, and disposes it in 

 such a manner among the eggs, that they retain an 

 equal temperature even at the changes of the weather, 

 or during the short periods when she leaves the nest, 

 once or twice a day.' 



'In four weeks the young come forth, and after 

 remaining under the mother the entire first day, are 

 subsequently led to the water, and made to swim to some 

 small islet, where they can hide and feed on the young 

 blades of corn, grass, and duckweed. The gander 

 redoubles his watchfulness on the increase of his family, 

 and hardly ever leaves the party. On the approach 

 of danger, the parents resort immediately to the shelter 

 of rushes, standing corn, or long grass, attended by 

 the whole brood; but when surprised on open ground, 

 too far from shelter, the young lay themselves flat on 

 the ground in some rut or hollow, and have even been 

 known to be taken up in the hand, and carried away; 

 but if they are near enough to the water, instinct 

 teaches them to resort to that element for protection, 

 where, by diving or swimming to the shelter of some 

 cover, they may elude observation: on such occasions 

 the parents fly round the intruders, uttering their 

 inharmonious cries.' Yarrell says that when the hen 

 birds begin to sit, the males leave them, and collect 

 in flocks near or on the sea. The male and female 

 are considered to unite for life. They return yearly 

 to the same breeding places, arriving at them in 

 March. 



A wild Grey- lag gander is recorded to have paired 

 with a tame goose in a farm-yard. 



