118 GREY-LAG GOOSE. 



An old Goose, which had been a fortnight hatching in a 

 farmer's kitchen, was perceived on a sudden to be taken 

 violently ill; she soon after left the nest and repaired to an 

 outhouse where there was a young Goose of the first year, 

 which she brought with her into the kitchen. The young 

 one immediately scrambled into the old one's nest, sat, hatched, 

 and afterwards brought up the brood. The old Goose, as 

 soon as the young one had taken her place, sat down by 

 the side of the nest and shortly after died. As the young 

 Goose had never been in the habit of entering the kitchen 

 before, the fact can only be accounted for by supposing that 

 the old one had . some way of communicating her thoughts 

 and anxieties, which the young one was perfectly able to 

 understand. We give this anecdote on the authority of Mr. 

 Bun, 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 in their vengeance, have occasion- 

 ally 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 renewed 

 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 thrashing, and a Sparrow near 

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

 would have inevitably 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 

 thrashers. The Goose is, in truth, by no means a cowardly 

 bird, and will often, when excited, defend himself very cour- 

 ageously. 



Under particular circumstance a Wild-Goose has indeed 

 been known to throw itself under the protection of man. 

 Thus an officer settled on a farm near the Missouri, in North 

 America, one day observed a large Eagle frequently darting 



