THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 93 



any section of country. They have been known to weigh, at eight months 

 old, from twelve to sixteen pounds when dressed for the table. 



They are the most beautiful of all geese, and, excepting the Toulouse, 

 the largest. Indeed, the rivalry between the two breeds is so close that 

 many contend that the palm of size as well as beauty belongs to the Embden. 



Mr. HEWITT, an English writer who favors this variety, says : " The 

 Embden goose has prominent blue eyes, is remarkably strong in the neck, 

 and the feathers, from near the shoulder to the head, are far more curled than 

 is seen in other birds. The plumage is pure white throughout ; bill flesh 

 color, and legs orange. One of their great advantages is this : That all the 

 feathers being perfectly white, their value, where many are kept, is far 

 greater in the market than is ever the case with colored or mixed feathers. 

 The quality of the flesh is about equal with the Toulouse ; but the Embden 

 is the earlier layer, and frequently rears two broods in one season, the young 

 ones proving as hardy as any with which I am acquainted." 



THE TOULOUSE GOOSE. 



The Toulouse goose is said to have originated in France, and is distin- 

 guished from the common gray goose by its colors being darker arid more 

 intense, by the bright orange hue of the bill, legs and the orbit around the 

 eye, as also by the singularly early development of the abdominal pouch. 

 The Earl of Derby first introduced this breed in England from the south of 

 France, and, like the Embden, they attain to great size. They are good 

 layers, and their flesh is tender and well flavored. DIXON, in describing the 

 goose, says : " The head should be depressed, and of a more elongated form 

 than in the common goose ; bill three inches in length by two inches in depth 

 at the base; in color a clear orange-vermilion, the nail at its extremity being 

 white, irides dark brown ; orbit large, and of the same color as the bill. 

 The plumage of head and neck ash-gray, the latter showing c the curl ' in a 

 very marked manner. Throat a light tint of gray; breast, back, and thighs 

 dark grayish-brown, with a margin of white, more or less distinct, on each 

 feather. Greater wing coverts brown ; lesser wing coverts a light gray. 

 Primary wing-feathers, of which the second is the longest, ash-gray, becom- 

 ing very dark, rich brcwn at their extremities, the shaft being a clear white ; 

 secondaries and tertials dark leaden-brown ; scapulars the same, with a nar- 

 row light edge. Under part of the body white ; tail-coverts white ; tail- 

 feathers brown, with broad white band at the extremity. Legs and feet red- 

 dish-yellow ; claws dusky. The wings, when folded, about half an inch 

 shorter than the tail. The orbit, in botli its form and color, the general tone 

 of plumage, the color of the bill and legs, the particular light marking of the 

 lesser wing coverts, and the wings, which fall short of the tail, are points of 

 resemblance between the Toulouse and the Gray-leg goose." 



THE AFRICAN GOOSE. 



Africa, or, perhaps, some of the southern countries of that old continent, 



