DOMESTIC POULTET. 



feeling, conceived that his defunct friend was wortty of Chris- 

 tian sepulture, and accordingly caused it to be interred in a 

 magnificent maimer. 



I do not wish, to depreciate the bird's excellent qualities, and 

 can seriously refer for the hundredth time to the oft-told 

 story of the goose and the Roman capitol, — of the shrewd bird 

 who wanted to save an egg, and did the same service towards 

 a city. At the same time, it is in coimeotion with a greater 

 event than even that, owing to the important part it plays in 

 a famous Christian festival, that we all ought, I think, to re- 

 verence the goose. The former story is but traditional, and, 

 true or false, of little importance to us at the present time ; 

 the latter affords an aimual proof of the goose being a public 

 benefactor, and so deserving of acknowledgment. 



In the time of the crusades, a goose was engraven on the 

 banner at the head of one of the bands proceeding to Palestine 

 to deliver the Holy Land from the dominion of the Saracens. It 

 has been wickedly insiauated that the said banner was emblem- 

 atical of many of the performances of the crusaders ; certainly, it 

 brings to one's miud the story of the fanatic who always walked 

 to church on his hands, instead of his feet. Men's minds were 

 much puzzled in endeavouring to account for so curious a mode 

 of locomotion. One day, a bystander, who witnessed the pious 

 gymnast performing this feat, mildly suggested as a reason for 

 such extraordinary conduct, that " perhaps he liked the sensa- 

 tion ;" and probably he was very nigh the truth. 



The goose family is extensive. There is the Canada goose 

 (the largest, and, according to many eminent naturalists, the 

 most sagacious of the tribe), the Snow goose of Euasia, the 

 Laughing goose of North America (the Indians, who hunt this 

 jocular creature, imitate its cry, or laugh, by ejaculating the 

 syllable wah, at the same time slapping the mouth sharply), 

 the common wild goose of Britain, the Bean goose, and the 

 " Bemicle," or " Barnacle " goose. Concerning this last-men- 

 tioned animal a curious belief was once prevalent. " There is," 

 says (3-erard (who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth), " a 

 small island in Lancashire called the Pile of Foulders (on the 

 west side of the entrance into Morecombe bay, about fifteen 

 miles south of Ulverston), wherein are found the broken pieces 

 of old and bruised ships, and also the trunks and bodies, with 

 the branches of old and rotten trees cast up their likeness, 

 whereon is found a certain spume or froth, that in time hard- 

 eneth unto certain shells in shape like those of the muskle but 



