MAKING LOVE TO A GOOSE. 27 



similar one, well verified, is told regarding the eggs of 

 the wild duck. 



Capercali not very unfrequently pair with Black-Cock, 

 but of the produce of this connection, in. Sweden called 

 Rackel-Fogcl, more will be said in a future chapter. 



Some curious crosses have also occurred between the 

 Capercali and other birds. M. Beckman tells us, for 

 instance, that he himself possessed three poults, the pro- 

 duce of a turkey hen by a Capercali cock. " The father of 

 the brood was captured, in the autumn, when between one 

 and two years old. The turkey hen, a young one, was kept 

 during the winter in a separate place from the turkey cock, 

 and had no opportunity of coming near him. In March and 

 April she was introduced to the Capercali, who, after several 

 days' courtship, was plainly seen to fulfil his matrimonial 

 duty towards his strange consort. In consequence, how- 

 ever, of the turkey lien's plainti.e cries, it was needful to 

 remove her, and to keep her away from him until the 

 following morning', when pairing once more took place 

 between them. 



" This proceeding was repeated for about fourteen days, 

 when the Capercali, at the sight of a white goose, which 

 promenaded near his prison, would no longer acknowledge 

 his faithful spouse. The goose was therefore placed in 

 the coop in lieu of the turkey hen, but her loud hissings 

 testified to the displeasure she felt at the ardent caresses 

 of her admirer ; and he on his part w r as so affrighted, or 

 it may be disgusted, at his advances being thus rudely 

 repelled, that all further inclination, whether for the 

 goose or the turkey hen, was at an end ; and all subsequent 

 attempts to rekindle* his desires by again introducing to 

 him his quondam favourites and they were repeated the 

 following year proved equally unsuccessful. 



" The eggs laid by the turkey hen on the occasion in 

 question were somewhat less and darker in colour than 



