252 KRIDER'S SPORTING ANECDOTES. 



wish to be considered uncharitable, we cannot 

 avoid quoting here two lines of Byron, leaving 

 the reader to parody if he thinks proper. 

 Speaking of Sir Isaac Walton, his lordship, 

 who detested fishing, says : 



"The quaint old coxcomb, in his gullet 



Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it." 



All varieties of the wild duck are less wary, 

 and possess less intelligence than the Canada 

 goose. They also evince much less affection 

 for each other, and we know of no instance of 

 their being domesticated, except in the case of 

 the anas sponsa, or beautiful summer duck. 

 Every fowler has noticed the sort of family in- 

 terest which exists among the members of a 

 flock of wild geese, which frequently leads them 

 to halt, follow the descent, and wait upon the 

 motions of a wounded companion. We believe 

 the same traits have been observed in the 

 American swan. Both are easily domesticated, 

 but it is remarkable that the tamed wild goose 

 and even his descendants, although herding by 

 day with the domestic goose, show a disposition 

 to sleep apart from the flock at night. We first 

 noticed this fact on the farm of Mr. Andrew 

 Lyons, of Cecil, Maryland, and were assured by 

 that gentleman, that his attention had been fre- 



