435 



CHAPTER XXX. 



THE WHITE-FRONTED, OR LAUGHING GOOSE. 



MR. DIXON observes that Ornamental Poultry may be di- 

 vided into three classes, not with reference to their beauty or 

 their natural arrangement, but in respect of their capabilities 

 for domestication. The first class comprises those that are 

 really domestic, (if we derive the word from domus, a house,) 

 that unhesitatingly confide themselves to the protection of Man, 

 and may be trusted with their complete liberty, in the certainty 

 that they will prefer the shelter of his roof, at proper times 

 and seasons, to a state of nature. This would include Cocks 

 and Hens, some Pigeons, Turkeys, the Common Domestic, 

 and the China Geese, the Musk Duck, and a few others. 



The second class includes those birds which are restrained 

 from resuming their original wild habits, more by the influence 

 of local and personal attachment, than from any love they seem 

 to have for the comforts of domestication; which may be 

 trusted with their entire liberty, or nearly so, but require an 

 eye to be kept on them from time to time, lest they stray away 

 and assume an independent condition. In this class we have 

 the Pea-JFowl, the White-fronted Goose, the Wigeon, the Ca- 

 nada Goose, the Egyptian Goose, and others, including per- 

 haps the Common Duck. 



The third class embraces all those birds which, however fa- 



