THE GOOSE. 277 



These, and many other varieties, are found in this 

 kind, which agree in one common character of feeding 

 upon vegetables, being remarkable fruitful, and very 

 firmly attached to their young. The gander seems to 

 possess the same degree of affection for the brood as 

 his mate, and guards them with the most watchful and 

 anxious care ; and will even attack both men and mas- 

 tiffs, if he fancies they are going to molest the young. 



The flesh of the goose is excellent eating ; and every 

 author must acknowledge the value of its quills : the 

 feathers are allowed to make the best beds of any, 

 though the ancients were but little acquainted with 

 their use. Lincolnshire is the county where these birds 

 are in the most abundance, though in Somersetshire 

 the feathers are held in the highest esteem ; and once 

 or twice a year the poor animals suffer the torture of 

 having them all torn from their sides. Hudson's Bay 

 also furnishes very fine feathers, supposed to be of the 

 goose kind. The down of the swan is brought from 

 Dantzic ; and from Greenland, Iceland, and Norway, 

 we procure the eiderdown* 



OF THE DUCfc, AND ITS VARIETIES. 



The tame duck is the most easily reared of all our 

 domestic animals, for the very instinct of the young 

 ones directs them to their favourite element ; and when 

 nurtured and protected by the tender care of the hen ? 

 they totally disregard her admonitions and cries. The 

 duck is a heedless and inattentive mother, and fre- 

 quently leaves her eggs until they spoil; and even 

 seems to forget that she is intrusted with such a charge- 

 She is equally regardless when the young are excluded 5 

 and if she leads them to a pond, and shews them the 



t S 



