4.2 



They did not at first, when turned out on the pond among tlie other 

 water-fowl, appear to take much notice of each other ; but some 

 workmen being at the time employed about the pond, one of the 

 birds (I think, from recollection, it was the male,) seemed to have 

 formed some sort of attachment to one of the men working. When- 

 ever he was present the goose was always near to him, and whenever 

 absent at his dinner, or when otherwise employed, the bird appeared 

 restless, and gave vent to its solicitude by frequent cries, which as 

 well as the anxiety, always ceased with the reappearance of the 

 workman. 



" The man having frequently occasion to pass through a door, which 

 was obliged to be kept open, it was feared that the attachment of the 

 animal might lead to its following its friend, and that on its exit, it 

 might fall in with and be worried or stolen by vermin, and in conse- 

 quence the pair of geese were confined in one of tlie divisions adja- 

 cent to, but divided from, the pond, on February 26. 



" Within this small inclosure, in the sheltered half of it, in one 

 corner, stood a small hutch, in which the female on the 5th of March 

 laid her first egg. Till within a few days of that period no alteration 

 took place in their manners, but it then became obvious that the male 

 was jealous of intruders, and would run at and seize them by the 

 trowsers, giving pretty sharp blows with his wings ; but this always 

 ceased if he observed that the female was at some distance, when 

 he would instantly rejoin her : his return to the female was always 

 accompanied by great hurry and clamour, and much gesticulation up 

 and down of his head, but not of the wings. Three other eggs followed 

 on the 7th, 9th, and 1 ith of March. The eggs were white, and very 

 large in proportion to the size of the bird, being, I should imagine, 

 (for, having no proper scales at hand, 1 did not weigh or subtract any 

 of them, hoping that more might be laid,) fully equal to those of the 

 Swan Goose or Anas cygnoules. The goose also surprised us by the 

 rapidity of her operations, for we were hardly aware of the fourth egg 

 having been laid that morning, when it was evident that she had be- 

 gun to sit. During the whole period of incubation there could not 

 be a more attentive nurse, and indeed she could not well help it, for 

 the male, if she seemed inclined to stay out longer than he thought 

 right, appeared, by his motions, to be bent on driving her bacjf, nor 

 was he satisfied till he had accomplished his object, when he again 

 resumed his usual position, with his body half in half out of the 

 hutch and his head towards the female ; but if any person cro.ssed the 

 yard of the division, he would immediately hurry after the intruder, 

 though, if he found there was no intention of molesting the nursery, 

 he seemed generally satisfied, and did not like to quit the sheltered 

 part of the division. At nigh; he constantly made room for himself 

 by the female, the result of which was unfortunate towards the pro- 

 geny. 



" On the 12th of April the eggs began to chip, and on the 13th 

 two goslings were excluded ; but it was found that the mother had 

 pushed from under her the other two eggs, which were consequently 

 taken away and put under a hen, though, as one was very nearly 



