210 THE DOMESTIC GOOSE. 



Lucretius, referring to this event, attributes the 

 vigilance of the geese to their fine sense of smell: 

 " The white goose, the preserver of the citadel of the 

 descendants of Romulus, perceives at a great distance 

 the odor of the human race." - 



Virgil, alluding to the same occurrence, ascribes the 

 preservation of the capitol to a " silver goose." Both 

 these poets, therefore, inform us that the domestic 

 goose of their days differed as much from the grey-lag 

 or _the white- fronted, as it does at present, a circum- 

 stance which the reader is requested to bear in mind. 



Pliny, about four hundred years later, remarks : 

 " The goose is carefully watchful ; witness the de- 

 fence of the capitol, when the silence of the dogs would 

 have betrayed everything. * * * # * It is possible, 

 also, that they may have some discernment of wisdom. 

 Thus one is said to have stuck perpetually to the phi- 

 losopher Lacydis, never leaving him, either in public, 

 in the baths, by night, nor by day. Our folks are wiser, 

 who are aware of the goodness of their liver. In those 

 that are crammed, it increases to a great size ; when 

 taken out, it is laid to swell in milk mixed with honey. 

 And it is not without cause that it is a matter of de- 

 bate who was the first to discover such a dainty, 

 whether Scipio Metellus, of consular dignity, or M. 

 Seius, a Roman knight at the same epoch. But, 

 (what is certain,) Messalinus Cotta, the son of Messala, 

 the orator, discovered the method of cooking the web 

 of their feet, and fricasseeing them in small dishes 

 along with cock's combs. I am ready heartily to at- 

 tribute the merit to the kitchen of either. It is won- 

 derful that this bird should travel on foot from the 

 Morini, (in the north of France,) to Rome. Those 

 which are tired are carried to the front ; so that the 

 rest push them on by a natural crowding. * * * * * 

 In some places they are plucked twice a year." 



It is very natural to inquire whence so remarkable 

 and valuable a bird was originally obtained ; but the 

 conclusion generally arrived at appears to be inconsist 



