BOOK VIII. XIV. 9-1 1 



kills the weaker. The coops in which they sleep 

 must be very dry and have chaff spread on the floor, 

 or, if this is not available, the coarsest possible hay. 

 For the rest, the same precautions must be taken as 

 for other kinds of young birds to prevent a grass-snake 

 or a viper or a cat or even a weasel from being able 

 to catch them ; for these pestilential creatures 

 generally lay them low and destroy them while they 

 are young and tender. 



Some people put barley soaked in water by the side 10 

 of geese which are sitting and do not allow them to 

 leave the nest too often ; then, when the goslings have 

 been hatched, for the first five days they put before 

 them pearl-barley or meal soaked in water, as they 

 also give to peahens. Others give them green cress 

 cut up very small with water — a food which is very 

 agreeable to them. Then Avhen they have become 

 four months old, all the biggest goslings are set aside 

 for fattening, since a tender age is regarded as 

 especially suitable for this process. Indeed the 

 cramming of these birds is an easy matter; for 11 

 besides pearl-barley and wheat-flour three times a 

 day, absolutely nothing else need be given them, 

 provided that they have facilities for drinking 

 freely and are not allowed to wander about and 

 are kept in a warm, shady place ; for all these 

 precautions contribute greatly to the formation of 

 fat. In this manner even the older birds grow 

 fat in two months, for the tenderest young brood 



* iocundissima ac : iucundissimum SA. 



* sagina c : saginam SAa. 



* tenebricoso loco quae Ac : tenebroso a : tenebricosolo 

 quoque S. 



395 



