32 ANATTD^. 



to the water, turning round from time to time, and cackling so as 

 to guide lier aright. After this the two proceeded to the hall- 

 door, where a feed of oats was given to them, the mare and gander 

 eating together out of the same vessel. The mare was commonly 

 ridden into the neighbouring post-town for letters, and the first 

 indication of her return was announced by the gander, who knew 

 the sound of her feet long before she came in sight. The gan- 

 der's feet were severely injured by the mare having accidentally 

 trodden on them. 



Towards a wounded comrade that has been lamed by being 

 cruelly struck with a stone, or otherwise, the reverse of affection 

 is, however, generally shown by the tame goose. Even after the 

 sufferer is driven from the flock and severely worried for presuming 

 to join its stronger brethren, I have remarked one after another 

 of the main body pursue the unfortunate individual for the pur- 

 pose of driving it still further from their vicinity. 



On the acute hearing of geese much has been written since the 

 time they saved the Roman Capitol ! but, in another sense, that 

 of vision, they are perhaps as acute. I have been often struck 

 with their keenness of sight, as evinced by sudden and loud 

 cacklings the moment any objects they were unaccustomed to would 

 come in view, as, for instance, one day at Wolf-hill, when a small 

 flock of curlews flying very liigh and quite silently over the pond 

 on which were four geese, these birds, from the first moment of 

 the cui'lews' appearance, became most vociferous, so as to attract 

 my attention to the cause. 



This note appears in the journal of the late John Templeton, 

 Esq. — "December 13, 1806. I was greatly entertained with 

 observing a gander searching for and raising carrots. With 

 considerable exertion he removed the earth around the root with 

 liis bill, which, on becoming clotted with earth, he shook until 

 cleared ; and when he had bared the root sufficiently to get a firm 

 hold with his bill, he then, sometimes with considerable exer- 

 tions, pulled it entirely out." 



The value of the tame goose, as estimated by Montagu in tlie 

 Supplement to his Ornithological Dictionary, is extraordinary. 



