THE DOMESTIC GOOSE. 409 



A great deal of this is the same as has happened with us, with 

 a slight change of names and places. 



It is very natural to inquire whence so remarkable and 

 valuable a bird was originally obtained ; but the conclusion 

 generally arrived at, appears to me ? to be inconsistent, not 

 merely with truth, but even with probability namely, that it 

 results from the crossing and intermixture of several wild spe- 

 cies. None of these ancient accounts indicate any such fact ; 

 but, on the contrary, declare that the Domestic Goose was in 

 the earliest ages (dating with respect to Man) exactly what it 

 is now. The very same arguments that are used to show that 

 the Domesticated Goose is a combination of the Gray-legged, 

 White-fronted, and Bean Geese, would equally prove that the 

 Anglo-Saxon race of Men is derived from a mixture of the 

 Red Indian, the Yellow Chinese, and the Tawny Moor. I 

 cannot, therefore, help suspecting very strongly that we shall 

 err in referring the parentage of the Common Goose to any 

 existing species. Mr. Yarrell hesitatingly says, that t( the 

 Gray-legged Goose is considered to be the origin from which 

 our valuable domesticated race is derived ;" and instances the 

 union of a pinioned wild Gray-legged Gander with a Domestic 

 Goose that had been assigned as his mate.* But those who 

 have kept many diiferent species together, well know what un- 

 accountable attachments they are frequently forming, and that 

 they are quite as likely to pair, and rear young, with individuals 

 of a race apparently the most alien to themselves as with their 

 own stock. Indeed, among Geese, it will be difficult to de- 



* These birds have produced young, which, by breeding in-and-in, 

 have again produced young resembling themselves ; thus giving sup- 

 port to Mr. Yarrell's conjecture. I record the fact. Many readers 

 may think it opposed to the views here expressed : it is the only one 

 I have ever met with at all tending to contradict them. 



S5 



