82 THE GOOSE, &c. 



while the goose, which they condemned as totally indigestible, 

 is now in almost every place a favourite dish. 



THE GOOSE, 



In its domestic state, is so universally known as to preclude 

 the necessity of any description. It exhibits indeed a variety of 

 colours, while the wild-goose, which is considerably less in size, 

 always retains the same marks; the whole plumage of its upper 

 parts being of a dark ash colour, and the breast and belly of a 

 dusky white. 



The wild-goose is supposed to breed in the northern countries 

 of Europe : in the beginning of winter, it descends into more 

 temperate climates. Wild-geese are often seen flying, at a 

 very great elevation, in flocks of from fifty to a hundred together, 

 disposed in the most regular order, and generally forming either 

 a direct line, or two lines joining in an angle. When they alight 

 in the day-time, which seldom happens, they range themselves 

 in a line, like cranes, and seem to have descended rather for 

 rest than for feeding ; for the latter business is chiefly performed 

 in the night. When they have sat in this manner reposing them- 

 selves for an hour or two, one of them sounds a kind of charge, 

 to which the whole flock pay the strictest attention. Every 

 goose is instantly on the wing: their ranks are immediately 

 formed in the air, and they pursue their route with renewed alac- 

 rity. This well-known bird admits of several varieties ; for, be- 

 sides the tame and the common wild-goose, there is the bean- 

 goose, a bird of passage, which arrives in Lincolnshire in the 

 autumn and departs in the month of May. This bird resembles 

 the wild-goose in colour, and weighs about six pounds. 



THE BARNACLE 



Differs in some respects from these, being considerably less 

 than any of them. Its bill, and the upper part of its plumage, 

 are black ; but the under parts, white. 



THE BRENT-GOOSE 



Is still smaller than the former. Both this and the barnacle 

 are migratory : they frequent the shores of Great Britain in the 

 winter ; and in some seasons have been so numerous on the 

 coasts of Picardy, as to be a nuisance to the inhabitants. 



THE DUCK, 



Like the goose, may be viewed in two grand divisions, the 

 tame and the wild kind; and each admits of a number of varieties 

 The wild-duck, or mallard, differs in many respects from the 

 tame, and exhibits a still greater variety of species. These we 



