258 FIELD AND FERN. 



can blood ; and their nurseries are situated in some 

 of the old grass avenues, apart from the chickens. 

 Turkeys are rare mothers, as they never tread upon 

 their young ones; and to them and the hens the 

 greater part of the goose eggs are confided at hatching 

 time. Each goose lays about fifty eggs if. they are 

 taken away, and thirty if they are left; and hens 

 generally take three. Their maternity cares, under 

 such circumstances, are rather chequered, as the gos- 

 lings give the hen the cut direct during the day, and 

 then creep inbesideher at night. They are principally of 

 the grey-imported Toulouse breed, and some of the best 

 have come from Viscount Clari, the Emperor of the 

 French's cousin. One gander was up to about 281bs., 

 and the Birmingham pen of goslings was " framing 

 for 661bs." 



They are as good watch-dogs as their Roman 

 ancestors; and the moment Mrs. Blair was seen, 

 they came like a mighty, rushing wind from the 

 other end of the paddock, and it was a mercy she 

 could keep any shawl on her back, when she became 

 the object of their concentrated tugs. The Rouen 

 ducks were there some forty strong, with the green 

 head, white neck-ring, rich claret breast, and blue 

 ribbon on the wing; but the draft mark was relentlessly 

 set against one of the finest drakes for the 

 very dark-green shade of his yellow bill. The 

 Dorkings lay in the woods, but come home to 

 roost in houses with very low perches, which 

 are specially provided to meet their tendency 



