230 



HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



these, however, the tame goose is the most 

 fruitful. Having less to fear from its ene- 

 mies, leading a securer and a more plentiful 

 life, its prolific powers increase in proportion 

 to its ease ; and though the wild goose seldom 

 lays above eight eggs, the tame goose is 

 often seen to lay above twenty. The female 

 hatches her eggs with great assiduity ; while 

 the gander visits her twice or thrice a day, 

 and sometimes drives her off to take her 

 place, where he sits with great state and com- 

 posure. 



But beyond that of all animals is his pride 

 when the young are excluded : he seems then 

 to consider himself as a champion, not only 

 obliged to defend his young, but also to keep 

 off the suspicion of danger ; he pursues dogs 

 and men that never attempt to molest him : 

 and, though the most harmless thing alive, is 

 then the most petulant and provoking. When, 

 in this manner, he has pursued the calf or the 

 mastiff, to whose contempt alone he is in- 

 debted for safety, he returns to his female and 

 her brood in triumph, clapping his wings, 

 screaming, and showing all the marks of con- 

 scious superiority. It is probable, however, 

 these arts succeed in raising his importance 

 among the tribe where they are displayed ; 



in captivity during the winter. They seldom breed in 

 so lo\v a latitude as Churchhill river ; but Hearne 

 states that he has occasionally met with their eggs in 

 that neighbourhood. The females rarely lay more than 

 four eggs, but the whole number is generally hatched. 

 They are said usually to select an island in preference 

 to the mainland, for the performance of the maternal 

 office in greater safety. 



The Spur-winged Goose. Another species of the 

 same group, is the Gambo or spur-winged goose, a 

 native of northern, and more particularly of western, 

 Africa. This bird agrees with the Canadian goose in 

 some of those characters which connect the geese with 

 the swans, but is much more robust in make and more 

 anserine in general appearance. Its size and propor- 

 tions are nearly those of the common goose ; its legs 

 long and placed beneath the middle of the body ; and 

 its neck of moderate length and proportionate thickness. 

 At the base of the bill, which is broad and flat, it has 

 a tubercle like that of the tame swan, increasing in size 

 with the age of the individual ; and the bend of its wings 

 is furnished with a large blunt spur, which appears to be 

 occasionally doubled. The spur-winged goose was con- 

 founded by Willoughby, and afterwards by Buflbn, with 

 a variety of the Egyptian goose, equally distinguished 

 by the presence of a spur upon the wing, but differing 

 considerably in the form of its bill, and in its colours. 

 In the former the entire hill and the tubercle at its 

 base are of a dull red; the sides of the head are white ; 

 the upper parts of the body black, with a metallic brilli- 

 ancy ; a patch of white, mottled with black spots occu- 

 pies the base of each of the wings ; and the under parts 

 are white, sometimes marked with indistinct zigzag 

 lines of gray. The legs have an obscure tinge of red ; 

 and the spurs of the wings are horn-coloured ; but the 

 latter are visible only when the wings are expanded, 

 being concealed at all other times beneath the plumage. 

 Gardens and Menageries of the Zoological Gardens 

 Illustrated, Col II. 



and it is probable there is not a more re- 

 spectable animal on earth to a goose than a 

 gander ! 



A young goose is generally reckoned very 

 good eating ; yet the feathers of this bird still 

 farther increase its value. I feel my obliga- 

 tions to this animal every word I write ; for, 

 however deficient a man's head may be, his 

 pen is nimble enough upon every occasion : 

 it is happy indeed lor us that it requires no 

 great effort to put it in motion. But the fea- 

 thers of this bird are still as valuable in 

 another capacity, as they make the softest and 

 the warmest beds to sleep on. 



Of goose-feathers most of our beds in Eu- 

 rope are composed ; in the countries bordering 

 on the Levant, and in all Asia, the use of 

 them is utterly unknown. There they use 

 mattresses, stuffed with wool, or camel's hair, 

 or cotton; and the warmth of their climate 

 may perhaps make them dispense with cush- 

 ions of a softer kind. But how it happens 

 that the ancients had not the use of feather- 

 beds is to me surprising : Pliny tells us, in- 

 deed, that they made bolsters of feathers to 

 lay their heads on; and this serves as a 

 proof that they turned feathers to no other 

 uses. 



As feathers are a very valuable commodity, 

 great numbers of geese are kept tame in the 

 fens in Lincolnshire, which are plucked once 

 or twice a year. These make a considerable 

 article of commerce. The feathers of Somer- 

 setshire are most in esteem ; those of Ireland 

 are reckoned the worst. Hudson's bay also 

 furnishes very fine feathers, supposed to be of 

 the goose kind. The down of the swan is 

 brought from Dantzic. The same place also 

 sends us great quantities of the feathers of the 

 cock and hen; but Greenland, Iceland, and 

 Norway, furnish the best feathers of all : and 

 in this number we may reckon the Eider 

 down, of which we shall take notice in its 

 place. The best method of curing feathers is 

 o lay them in a room, in an open exposure to 

 ;he sun ; and when dried, to put them into 

 Dags, and beat them well with poles to get 

 ;he dust off. But, after all, nothing will pre- 

 vent, for a time, the heavy smell which arises 

 From the putrefaction of the oil contained in 

 every feather ; no exposure will draw this off, 

 iow long so ever it be continued ; they must 

 )e lain upon, which is the only remedy ; and 

 or this reason old feathers are much more 

 valuable than new. 



