alarm, and they sometimes give a blow with their 

 pinion that breaks a man's leg or arm. 



It is not till they are a twelvemonth old that the 

 young swans change their colour with their plumage. 

 All the stages of this bird's approach to maturity are 

 slow, and mark its longevity. A goose has been 

 known to live a hundred years, and the swan is sup- 

 posed to live still longer. 



The Goose, in its domestic state, exhibits a variety 

 of colours. The wild goose always retains the same 

 marks ; the whole upper part is ash. coloured, the 

 breast and belly are of a dirty white, the bill is narrow 

 at the base, and at the tip it is black. These marks 

 are seldom found in the tame, whose bill is entirely 

 red, and whose legs are entirely brown. The wild 

 goose is rather less than the tame ; but both invariably 

 retain a white ring round the tail, which shews that 

 they are both descended from the same original. 



xhe wild goose breeds in the northern parts of Ei' 

 rope, and in the beginning of winter descends into 

 more temperate regions. They are often seen Hying 

 at very great height*, in flocks from fifty to a hundred. 

 Their cry is frequently heard when they are at an 

 imperceptible distance above us : and this seems 

 handed from one to the other, as among hounds in 

 the pursuit. 



Upon their coming to the ground by day, they 

 range themselves in a line, aud seem rather to tlt-scend 

 for rest than refreshment. When they have sat in this 

 manner for an hour or two, one of them, with a loud 

 long note, sounds a kiud of charge, to which the 

 rest attend, and pursue their journey wit^i renewed 

 alacrity. 



The wild goose seldom lays above eight eggs, the 

 tame goose .often 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 composure. 



VOL. i. M 



