242 BRITISH BIRDS. 



bags and panniers; to the great centre of trade 

 they are sent in droves of many thousands.* To a 

 stranger it is a most curious spectacle to view these 

 hissing, cackling, gabbling, but peaceful armies, 

 with grave deportment, waddling along (like other 

 armies) to certain destruction. The drivers are 

 each provided with a long stick, at one end of 

 which a red rag is tied as a lash, and a hook is 

 fixed at the other: with the former, of which the 

 Geese seem much afraid, they are excited forward ; 

 and with the latter, such as attempt to stray, are 

 caught by the neck and kept in order: or if lame, 

 they are put into an hospital cart, which usually 

 follows each large drove. In this manner they 

 perform their journies from distant parts, and are 

 said to get forward at the rate of eight or ten miles 

 in a day, from three in the morning till nine at 

 night: those which become fatigued are fed with 

 oats, and the rest with barley. 



It is universally believed that the Goose lives to 

 a great age, and particular instances are recorded 

 by ornithologists which confirm the fact : some are 

 mentioned which have been kept seventy years; 

 and Willoughby notices one which lived eighty 

 years. They are, however, seldom permitted to 

 live out their natural life, being sold, with the 

 younger ones, long before they approach that 

 period. The old ones are called cagmags, and are 

 bought only by novices in market-making ; for, 



* In an article which Mr. Latham has copied from the St. James's 

 Chronicle of September, 2nd, 1783, it is noticed, that a drove of 

 about nine thousand Geese passed through Chelmsford, on their way 

 to London, from Suffolk. 



