220 ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. 



tication as the Australian farmers possess in the pigeon 

 goose, which seems to he altogether much tamer than 

 ours, it is really surprising they have neglected its pro- 

 pagation : yet such seems to be the fact ; for although 

 Mrs. Lewin, who had resided in AustraUa many years, 

 informed Dr. Latham, that, "^ with little management, 

 it becomes very tame and familiar, so as to be domesti- 

 cated with our common goose," its cultivation' seems 

 to be so far abandoned, that the bird is spoken of by 

 naturalists who subsequently visited the colony, as very 

 rare ; they having only seen a single specimen in the 

 governor's garden. 



We shall now give Mr. Bennett's description of the 

 plumage, as it was no doubt taken from the living spe- 

 cimens before alluded to. The pigeon goose "is about 

 the size of the common goose, which it resembles in its 

 form, excepting the comparative length of the bill andlegs. 

 A broad patch on the top of the head is of a dull white ; 

 and the rest of the plumage of a dingy grey, deeper on 

 the upper than on the under parts; having the extremity 

 of each of the feathers of the back margined with a 

 lighter band; and most of the wing covers, and second- 

 ary quill feathers marked with rounded dusky spots 

 of from two to four lines in diameter : on the feathers 

 of the back and shoulders the spots are much larger, 

 assume an angular or semilunar form, and approach 

 more nearly the general colour of the plumage : the 

 quill feathers, both of the wings and tail, are dusky 

 black throughout the greater part of their extent : the 

 naked extremity of the bill is black ; but the broadly 

 expanded cere of a light straw or lemon colour ; and 

 the irides are light hazel : the naked parts of the legs 

 are reddish orange ; but the toes, claws, and webs are 

 black ; this colour being continued in a stripe a little 

 way in front of the leg. 



The ornithologist cannot fail to recognise, in the more 

 scientific characters of this remarkable bird, given else- 

 where*, the many extraordinary analogies it presents, 

 * Class, of Birds, ii. 191. 366. ] 



