I20 BIGGIvK POUI.TRY BOOK. I 



supposed to have originated. The Btnbdeii has pure, 

 white plumage, prominent blue e3^es, a flesh-colored 

 bill and bright orange legs. The weight is about the 

 same as that of the Toulouse. ! 



Chinese geese, or swan geese, belong to another 

 species, and are at once recognized by a peculiar 

 knob or protuberance at the base of their bills and 

 by their long, swan-like necks. There are two varie- 

 ties, the White and the Brown. The latter is shown 

 in the background of colored Plate XVI. The stand- 

 ard weight of these is twenty-eight pounds per pair. 

 African Geese, recognized in the "Standard," belong 

 to the same species and are similar to the Brown 

 China, but heavier. 



The American wild, or Canada goose, belongs to 

 a different species from either of the above, and will 

 not produce a fertile cross. It has never become 

 thoroughly domesticated and does not breed readily 

 in confinement. 



Geese are long-lived, and the females may be 

 kept for eight or ten years, but the ganders become 

 pugnacious and less virile after they are three years 

 old. It is best, therefore, to mate old geese with 

 young ganders, allowing one male to two or three 

 females. The geese agree better if selected from the 

 same flock. To avoid in-breeding, select the male 

 from a different flock. Geese incline to go in families 

 and are very jealous of their mates. For this reason, 

 when there is more than one flock or family, it is 

 prudent to have separate sheds for each one, and if 

 possible, separate runs. 



In northern latitudes it is not well to feed breed- 



