GEESE. 177 



larly 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 its 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 of every 

 obstacle, "getting over," to use the man's own 

 words, " the fences, as well as I could myself." All 

 this, it should be observed, continued, not only 

 without any encouragement on the part of the 

 farmer, but even in spite of every discouragement 

 on his part. How long it would have continued, 

 or to what extent, we lament to add, he effectually 

 precluded the world from knowing; for, with an 

 unpardonable inattention to so truly a wonderful 

 case, in addition to an equally unpardonable super- 

 stitious fear, he took it into his head, that this 

 mysterious affection of the poor Goose foreboded 

 some evil; and in a moment of alarm, he killed the 

 faithful bird. 



Thus much for the attachment of the Goose to 



VOL. II. N 



