THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



95 



the throat, also, there hangs a sort of fleshy membrane, which is firm and 

 hard. 



THE EGYPTIAN GOOSE 



is bred in this country to a certain extent. It is a beautiful and stately bird, 

 and is much valued for its gorgeous mantle of golden hues. It is also 

 very prolific, bringing off, usually, three broods a year, from eight to twelve 

 each time. Their weight is about eight pounds each. Their markings are 

 striking and beautiful, being dark-red round the eyes ; red ring round the 

 neck ; bill white ; neck and breast light fawn-gray ; a maroon star on the 

 breast; belly red and gray; half of the wing-feathers rich black, the other 



WHITE CHINESE GOOSE. 



part of them pure white ; black bar running across the center ; back light- 

 red, growing dark-red toward the tail ; the tail a deep black ; carriage up- 

 right and stately. 



THE WHITE CHINESE GOOSE. 



This variety of aquatic fowl was introduced into England some years 

 since by ALFRED WHITIKAR, and brought to this country by JOHN GILES of 

 Connecticut. Mr. WHITIKAR gives the following description of it: "The 

 White China Goose is of a spotless, pure white, more swan-like than the 

 brown variety, with a bright orange-colored bill, and a large orange-colored 

 knob at its base. It is a particularly beautiful bird, either in or out of the 

 water, its neck long, slender, and gracefully arched when swimming. It 

 breeds three or four times in a season, and its period of incubation extends 

 to five weeks. They are prolific layers, but their eggs are small for the size 

 of the bird, being not more than half the size of those of the common goose. 



