432 OBSTINATE PUGNACITY. [CHAP. xin. 



The male Sandwich Bernicle, although so much 

 smaller than the common Gander, displays towards him, 

 if allowed to join his family party, an implacable and 

 unceasing enmity, jealousy, or aversion, which is ex- 

 hibited by a continued course of persecution and annoy- 

 ance, rather than by any violent and decisive attack. 

 This offensive conduct is returned, though with some- 

 what less pertinacity, by the Gander, who seems as if 

 he would be heartily glad to be relieved from the end- 

 less pushes, feather pluckings, and grinning insults (if 

 a bird can grin) of the swarthy foreign dwarf. The one 

 stares with his bright black eyes ; opens his red lined 

 mouth to its utmost gape, sticking out his tongue ; con- 

 torts his fleecy little neck into snake-like curves, and 

 creaks defiance with such feeble voice as he has ; for 

 it more resembles the noise of a long unused wheel- 

 barrow, or of a dilapidated pump-handle, than the sound 

 emitted by any English living creature. He seems in- 

 clined to patronise the Goslings, though it is doubtful 

 whether he would pay the slightest polite attention to 

 the Geese: but the Gander he worries from morning 

 till night, and perhaps all night long too, if he has the 

 opportunity. He is careless of being occasionally 

 " floored " by his more weighty adversary, and of 

 having his shoulders half-stripped of feathers by the 

 rebuffetings he so well deserves ; and it would thus 

 appear impossible that the two species should live 

 amicably together, and increase their kind, in the same 

 inclosure. 



Birds in their little nests agree [Cuckoos excepted] ; 



And 't is a shameful sight 

 That Gander should with Gander be 



So much inclined to fight. 



