THE WILD GOOSE 117 



the flock the excess of fatigue felt by the leader of 

 the file in being the first to cleave with a stroke 

 of his wing the resisting atmosphere, each one in its 

 turn occupies the post of honor, the forward end 

 of the single file, or the apex of the two joining files. 

 It is a repetition of Emile's expedient for penetrat- 

 ing a considerable extent of brushwood. After its 

 turn of service at the front the leading goose re- 

 tires for rest to the rear of one or other of the 

 branches of the angle, while a new leader takes its 

 place. By this means of equitable rotation exces- 

 sive fatigue on the part of any one of the migrating 

 flock is avoided, and no stragglers are left behind. " 



"And no goose has to be urged to take what you 

 call the post of honor, the arduous post at the 

 front?" queried Emile. 



1 ' None has to be urged. It is their duty, and they 

 all fulfil it with a zeal that in many instances man 

 might take as a model. To the recusant slacker the 

 smallest gosling would give a lesson in what is owing 

 to the common welfare. As soon as the leader feels 

 its strength weakening, the next one in order takes 

 its place without having to be told. ' ' 



" Decidedly/' interposed Jules, "those geese ; with 

 their cleverness in geography and their skill in the 

 art of flying in flocks and in devising means for 

 mutual assistance, are not so silly as they are said 

 to be." 



"The flight of a flock of geese is generally very 

 high; they do not come near the ground except in 

 foggy weather. If on such an occasion some farm 



