160 OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



the male. The male is called a gander. The young are called 

 goslings. Goose and gander are the modern forms of Anglo- 

 Saxon names. 



Origin. Our fully domesticated geese all originated in the 

 Old World. The European stock is believed to be derived 

 from the Gray Lag Goose, which is still found in Europe in 

 the wild state. The origin of the curious name " Gray Lag" 

 has been the subject of much speculation. The most plausible 

 theory is that which takes " lag " in its common meaning 



FIG. 142. Toulouse goslings three weeks old 



and supposes that the term was applied to this species of goose 

 because it was slower in motion, or because it lingered longer 

 in Northern Europe, than the less familiar species. As in the 

 wild state the Gray Lag Goose ranged over Europe and. North- 

 ern Asia, it may have been domesticated many times in many 

 different places. Wild specimens may still be brought into 

 domestication, but there are no authentic reports of such cases. 

 The Chinese breeds of geese, which will shortly be described, 

 are quite different in appearance from the European races, 

 but the difference does not necessarily show that they are of 

 different origin. 



