352 GEESE. 



Thus much for the attention due to the Goose for its 

 pecuniary worth ; but beyond this, it has qualities, we might 

 almost say, of the mind, of a very singular character : we 

 mean, the unaccountable constancy and affection which it 

 has been known to show not only to its own species, and to 

 other birds and animals, but more particularly to man. And 

 it is not improbable, that these qualities, which, as we shall 

 soon show, were known to the ancients, might have rendered 

 it an object of high esteem, and even in some cases sacred, 

 as, for instance, it was to Juno, the queen of their idol gods. 

 In addition to which it has other qualifications, proving the 

 fallacy of the proverbial libel, " as silly as a Goose." Thus, 

 its watchfulness at night-time has always been noted, and it 

 certainly is endowed with a strong organ of self-preservation, 

 for, as it has been well observed, you may drive over cat, 

 dog, hen, pig, or even pigeon, but few, if any, can record an 

 instance of driving over a tame Goose ; and as for Wild 

 Geese, there are no animals, biped or quadruped, so difficult 

 to deceive or approach, their sense of hearing, seeing, and 

 smelling being so extremely acute ; independently of which, 

 they appear to act in so organized and cautious a manner, 

 when feeding or roosting, as to defy all danger. Sportsmen 

 could give instances without number of their utmost skill 

 being of no avail in attempting to approach these birds ; 

 either a careless step on a piece of gravel, or an eddy of 

 wind, however light, or letting them perceive the smallest 

 portion of their persons, has rendered useless whole hours of 

 manoeuvring. 



We shall briefly illustrate this part of our history, alluding 

 to their instinct and affection, by examples drawn from 

 various sources, ancient as well as modern, corroborating 

 them with a case which occurred in our own neighbour- 

 hood. 



We have just mentioned that this bird was held sacred to 

 Juno, and we have good reason for supposing, that by the 

 Gauls, an ancient and barbarous people, inhabiting the 

 northern and western parts of Europe, it was held in almost 

 equal estimation. How long this continued we do not 



