BOOK VIII. XIII. 3-xiv. 3 



the poultry-yard " in which they can rest and where 

 they can lay their eggs. 



XIV. Those who desire to possess flocks of swimming The housing 

 birds establish goose-pens, which then will flourish of geeS."^ 

 only if they are arranged in the following manner. 

 A yard remote from any other livestock is enclosed 

 by a wall nine feet high and surrounded by porticos 

 so arranged that the keeper's hut may be in some 

 part of them. Then under the porticos square pens 

 are built of unhewn stones or even small bricks. It is 

 enough if each pen measures three feet each way and 

 has a single entrance fitted with strong little doors, 

 because the pens ought to be kept shut when the 

 geese are laying or sitting. If there is a pool or river 2 

 outside the farm and not far from the building, no 

 other water need be looked for ; otherwise a lake 

 and fish-pond should be artificially constructed, so 

 that the geese may have water into which to dive ; 

 for they can no more live properly without the 

 element of water than they can without the element 

 of earth. A marshy field too which is also grassy 

 should be set aside for them, and other foods be sown 

 such as vetch, trefoil, fenugreek and above all the 

 kind of endive which the Greek call serisfi Lettuce 

 seeds in particular should also be sown for this pur- 

 pose, since it is a very tender vegetable and is also 

 much sought after by these birds ; also it is a very 

 useful food for goslings. 



Having made all these preparations, you must take 3 

 care that the male and female birds which you choose 

 are of the largest possible size and of a white colour ; 



" The text here is uncertain but the meaning is clear. 

 » Dioscorides, II. 132. 



' aepiv edd. : caepim 8 : cepi A : om. ac. 



389 



