262 NATATORES. ANSER. WILD GOOSE. 



Food, from six to twelve eggs of a sullied white. Its food consists 

 principally of the various grasses of the moist and marshy 

 tracts it affects, though it eats grain with avidity. It is also 

 very fond of the tender blades of wheat, &c., and often, 

 during its periodical visits, does considerable damage to corn 

 fields in an early stage of growth. Being a bird of great 

 shyness and vigilance, it can only be approached by stealth, 

 and with the utmost caution ; this is generally effected by 

 that mode of fowling called stalking, in which a horse is so 

 trained, as, hiding the person of the fowler, to advance by 

 degrees, and in an easy and natural manner, upon the flock, 

 as they are at rest or feeding on the ground. In the latter 

 state, which only occurs during the day-time, sentinels (oc- 

 casionally relieved) are always on the watch to give notice of 

 approaching danger, which they do, on the slightest suspi- 

 cion, by a cry of alarm ; and immediately the whole flock 

 take wing, with an alertness and rapidity that could scarcely 

 be expected in birds of such bulky appearance. At night 

 they generally retire to the water for repose, but the same 

 watchful attention to safety is maintained by sentinels, that 

 distinguishes their conduct during the day. They usually 

 fly at a great height in the air, moving either in a single dia- 

 gonal line, or in two lines forming an angle, or inverted V. 

 In this order the office of leader is taken by turns, the fore- 

 most, when fatigued, retiring to the rear, and allowing the 

 next in station to lead the flight. It is generally admitted 

 that our race of domestic Geese has originally sprung from 

 this species, and however altered they may now appear in 

 bulk, colour, or habits, the essential characters remain the 

 same ; no disinclination to breed with each other is evinced 

 between them, and the offspring of wild and domesticated 

 birds are as prolific as their mutual parents. The value of 

 this species in its present domestic state, not only as food, 

 but from the various uses to which its covering applies, is too 

 well known for me to dwell upon ; and as these points, along 

 with the rearing and management of the bird, have been 



