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THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



tocracy of lake and river. Cuvier goes farther ; 

 calls it at once Cygnus Sinensis (Chinese Swan), 

 and says that this and the Canada goose can 

 not be separated from the true swan. A goose, 

 however, it decidedly is, as is clear from its 

 terrestrial habits, its powerful bill, its thorny 

 tongue, and its diet of grass. 



Another proof is their deficient power of 

 flight compared with the rest of their conge- 

 ners, owing to the larger proportionate size of 

 their bodies. The common domestic goose 

 Hies much more strongly than her sister from 

 Guinea. Indeed, of all geese, these are the 

 worst fliers. There is no occasion to pinion 

 them. While the Canada goose thinks little 

 of a journey from the North Pole, or there- 

 abouts, to Carolina; while the Egyptian goose 

 pays an occasional visit from Africa to Eu- 

 rope ; while the merry little Laughing goose, if 

 tamed, and allowed the use of its wings, is al- 

 most as much at ease in the air as the pigeon ; 

 the African goose, to get out of the way of a 

 frisky spaniel, can hardly manage to flutter 

 across the lawn. 



THE CHINESE GOOSE. 



The Chinese Goose is not only brought from 

 China, but from Guinea, the Cape of Good 

 Hope, and Siberia ; and it is also to be found in 

 the Sandwich Islands. 



Richardson describes three sub-varieties of 

 this species. First, the Hong Kong. This bird 

 has a large horny knob on the bill and forehead ; 

 its prevailing color is gray, with a longitudinal 

 stripe of deep brown running down the back of 

 the neck. The legs are of a red color, whence 

 it is sometimes distinguished as the "Red-leg- 

 ged Chinese goose." This is the same long 

 known among us under the erroneous name of 

 the " Poland goose." 



Second. Black-legged Chinese Goose. Also 

 knobbed, and usually with a white edging round 

 the knob, somewhat similar to that of the wild 

 breed called the " White-fronted goose." 



Third. The White Chinese Goose. A very 

 beautiful and showy bird, of a snow-white col- 

 or, knobbed as the others, and with legs of a 

 bright orange red. 



This beautiful bird, in its shape and motions 



in the water, much resembles the swan. It 

 again resembles the swan in other respects. 

 She glides on the watery element with her neck 

 beautifully arched, her head drawn in, her breast 

 just settled in the water, her tail a little raised, 

 giving a light and air)' appearance, moving on 

 the water with apparently little or no exertion ; 

 and we may say, with the poet, 



"In all her movements dignity and grace." 

 Her note is loud and shrill, and she utters it 

 often when an enemy appears. She is still 

 more watchful than the African or Guinea 

 goose. Nothing can stir about the premises at 

 night but she sounds the alarm. This must 

 have been the goose that is said to have saved 

 the Capitol of Rome. It is delightful to see 

 them, on a fine day in spring, lashing the wa- 

 ter, diving, rolling over through mere fun, and 

 playing all sorts of antics. Slight variations 

 occur in the color of the feet and legs, some 

 having them of a dull orange, others black ; a 

 delicate fringe of minute white feathers is occa- 

 sionally seen at the base of the bill. These pe- 

 culiarities are hereditary and transmitted, but 

 do not amount to more than mere varieties. 



The plumage of this goose is gray on the 

 back, and darker almost black on the back 

 side of the neck ; front and under side of neck 

 lighter, and tinged with a fawn color; wings 

 and tail feathers dark, and under side of body 

 light-gray. Feet, legs, and bill dark slate color. 

 She resembles again the swan in having a knob 

 or fleshy tubercle on the base of the bill, at 

 which also a narrow white strip encircles the 

 mouth. 



The male is almost as much disproportionate- 

 ly larger than the female as the Muscovy drake 

 is in comparison with his mate. He is much 

 inclined to libertine wanderings, without, how- 

 ever, neglecting to pay proper attention at home. 

 If there is another gander on the same prem- 

 ises they are sure to disagree ; one of the two 

 had better be got rid of. Both male and female 

 are, perhaps, the most noisy of all geese. At 

 night, as we have said before, the least footfall 

 or motion in their neighborhood is sufficient to 

 call forth their clanging and trumpetings. This 

 to a lone country house is an advantage and a 

 protection. Any fowl-stealer would be stunned 



