GEESE. 361 



of a Mr. Brew, who states it to have occurred at Ennis, in 

 July, 1828. 



So strong are the affections of these loving birds, that 

 some who have exposed themselves to their vengeance have 

 occasionally found themselves fearfully worsted. A Game 

 Cock, near Ashford, in Kent, priding himself, no doubt, on 

 his prowess, happened, a short time ago, to take offence at a 

 Goose during the time of incubation ; and attacking her with 

 great fury, pecked out one of her eyes, and destroyed several 

 of her eggs. An old Gander, seeing the danger to which his 

 mate was exposed, flew to her assistance, and many desperate 

 battles took place. One day, in his absence, the Cock re- 

 newed his attack upon the Goose ; when the Gander, hearing 

 the bustle, hurried up, and seizing the Cock, dragged him 

 into the pond, where he ducked him repeatedly, and finally 

 drowned him. 



Another somewhat similar instance occurred at Astbury, 

 near Congleton, in Cheshire. Several Geese were feeding 

 near a barn, where some men were threshing, and a Sparrow 

 near them, when a Hawk suddenly pounced upon the latter, 

 and would inevitably have carried it off, had not the 

 Gander flown to its rescue, and with its beak struck the Hawk 

 so violent a blow, that it was stunned, and taken up by one 

 of the threshers. The Goose is, in truth, by no means a 

 cowardly bird, and will often, when excited, defend himself 

 very courageously, a quality of which the Russians seem 

 well aware, as it is not an uncommon thing in that country, 

 instead of training up Game Cocks for fighting, to have" what 

 are termed Goose-pits, where they are regularly trained for 

 the sport. The birds are taught to peck at each other's 

 shoulders, so as to draw blood; and well-trained Ganders 

 have been known to sell as high as twenty pounds, and betting 

 upon them runs very high. This cruel sport takes place in 

 March.* 



Our domestic Geese are descended from the marsh or fen 

 Goose (Anser palustris), which, though originally a wild 



* GRANVULLE'S Russia. 



