THE CHINA GOOSE. 225 



pared with the rest of their congeners, owing to the 

 larger proportionate size of their bodies. The common 

 domestic goose flies much more strongly than her sister 

 from China. Indeed, of all geese, these are the worst 

 flyers. There is no occasion to pinion them. While 

 the Canada goose thinks little of a journey from the 

 north pole, or thereabouts, to Carolina ; while the 

 Egyptian goose pays an occasional visit from Africa to 

 Great Britain, while the merry little laughing goose, if 

 tamed and allowed the use of its wings, is almost as 

 much at ease in the air as a pigeon, the China goose, to 

 get out of the way of a frisky spaniel can hardly manage 

 to flutter across a lawn. 



Said the tame goose to the wild one, " On such a day, 

 I shall fly away." The wild goose replied to the tame 

 one, " On such a day, I shall fly away, too, if it be the 

 will of Allah." At the appointed time, the wild goose 

 performed her annual migration ; the tame one remained, 

 and cannot fly to this day. If China, instead of Egypt, 

 had given rise to the above fable, we should believe that 

 the Anas cygnoides was the vain-boastful bird. 



The prevailing color of the plumage of the China 

 goose is a brown, which has aptly been compared to the 

 color of wheat. The different shades are very har- 

 moniously blended, and are well relieved by the black 

 tuberculated bill, and the pure white of the abdomen. 

 Their movements on the water are graceful and swan- 

 like. It is delightful to see them on a fine day in spring 

 lashing the water, diving, rolling over through mere fun, 

 and playing all sorts of antics. Slight variations occur 

 in the color of the feet and legs, some having them of a 

 dull-orange, others black; a delicate fringe of minute 

 white feathers is occasionally seen at the base of the bill. 

 These peculiarities are hereditarily transmitted, but do 

 not amount to more than mere varieties. 



The male is almost as much disproportionately larger 

 than the female as the musk drake is in comparison with 

 his mate. He is much inclined to libertine wanderings, 

 without, however, neglecting to pay proper attention at 

 home. If there is any other gander on the same pre- 

 mises, they are sure to disagree ; one of the two had 

 10* 



