178 IVILD SPOJiTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



in having a small black mark at the end of their bill, about the 

 size and colour of a horse-bean. This bird, too, differs in being 

 rather smaller and more dark in its general colour than the 

 grey goose. It is a great libel .to accuse a goose of being a 

 silly bird. Even a tame goose shows much instinct and attach- 

 ment ; and were its habits more closely observed, the tame 

 goose would be found to be by no means wanting in general 

 cleverness. Its watchfulness at night-time is, and always has 

 been, proverbial ; and it certainly is endowed with a strong 

 organ of self-preservation. You may drive over dog, cat, hen, 

 or pig ; but I defy you to drive over a tame goose. As for 

 wild geese, I know of no animal, biped or quadruped, that is so 

 difficult to deceive or approach. Their senses of hearing, seeing, 

 and smelling are all extremely acute ; independently of which, 

 they appear to act in so organised and cautious a manner when 

 feeding or roosting, as to defy all danger. Many a time has 

 my utmost caution been of no avail in attempting to approach 

 these birds ; either a careless step or a piece of gravel, or an 

 eddy of wind, however light, or letting them perceive the 

 smallest portion of my person, has rendered useless whole hours 

 of manoeuvring. When a flock of geese have fixed on a field 

 of new - sown grain to feed on, before alighting they make 

 numerous circling flights round and round it, and the least sus- 

 picious object prevents their pitching. Supposing that all is 

 right, and they do alight, the whole flock for the space of a 

 minute or two remain motionless, with erect head and neck 

 reconnoitring the country round. They then, at a given signal 

 from one of the largest birds, disperse into open order, and 

 commence feeding in a tolerably regular line. They now 

 appear to have made up their minds that all is safe, and are 

 contented with leaving one sentry, who either stands on some 

 elevated part of the field, or walks slowly with the rest — never, 

 however, venturing to pick up a single grain of corn, his whole 

 energies being employed in watching. The flock feed across 

 the field ; not waddling, like tame geese, but walking quickly, 

 with a firm, active, light-infantry step. They sejdom venture 

 near any ditch or hedge that might conceal a foe. When the 

 sentry thinks that he has performed a fair .share of duty, he 

 gives the nearest bird to him a sharp peck. I have seen him 

 sometimes pull out a handful of feathers, if the first hint is not 



