354 GEESE. 



to her daughter, that her mother should venture abroad, she 

 replied " Oh, sir ! we are not afraid of trusting her out of 

 sight, for the Gander is with her." We frankly own, that 

 so strange and improbable do the above stories appear, that 

 we should neither have inserted, nor paid them the slightest 

 attention, had we not the following testimony to their credi- 

 bility, for the accuracy of which we can vouch ; and deeply 

 do we regret, that a better fate did not await so extraordinary 

 a bird, which, under more intelligent observers, might have 

 afforded opportunities of ascertaining the extent of so unusual 

 a development of affection. 



A farmer in Cheshire possessed a flock of Geese, one of 

 which, at the end of about three years, without any apparent 

 cause, began to show a peculiar partiality for its master. It 

 first appeared on the bird's quitting its companions in the 

 barn-yard or pond, and stalking after him. These symptoms 

 became daily stronger, and in a short time, wherever the 

 farmer went, whether to the mill or the blacksmith's shop, 

 or through the bustling streets of a neighbouring manufac- 

 turing town, the Goose was at his heels. So perseveringly 

 did it follow his steps, that if he wished to go out alone, he 

 was under the necessity of fastening up the bird. 



The farmer was in the habit of holding his own plough, 

 and, on these occasions, the Goose as regularly passed the 

 day in the ploughing field, walking sedately, not with the 

 usual waddling pace of its fellow Geese, but with a firm 

 step, head elevated, and neck erect, a short way before him, 

 in the line of the furrows, frequently turning round and 

 fixing its eyes intently upon- him. When the length of one 

 furrow was accomplished and the plough turned, the Goose, 

 without losing its step, adroitly wheeled about, and thus 

 continued its attendance till the evening, and then followed 

 its master home ; and if permitted, would mount upon his 

 lap as he sat by the fire after dark, showing the strongest 

 signs of affection, and nestling his head in his bosom, or 

 preening the hair of his head with its beak as it was wont 

 to do its own feathers. Sometimes the farmer would go out 

 shooting, and no sooner had he shouldered his gun, than his 

 companion was at its post, following him as before, in spite 



