IKE aoosE. 



the procuring of whicli ita strong bill and swan-like neck afford 

 it facility, offer the most advantageous sites for its establish- 

 ment, and in such localities we strongly recommend its adop> 

 tidn." 



It is decidedly the most interesting and handsome bird of 

 its tribe ; its head, greater part of the neck, rump, and tail, 

 are quite black ; the beak and wings brown ; and the under- 

 plumage brownish-grey ; its biU and feet are also black. The 

 Canada goose is also remarkable for its extraordinary sagacity, 

 and several anecdotes are related which go a long way to prove 

 its attachment to man. On the whole, I can, with great plea- 

 sure, recommend this bird to the reader as a very important 

 member of the poultry-yard. 



Lincolnshire has long been noted as a goose-breeding county. 

 In the fens, it is no uncommon circumstance to find breeders ' 

 owning from five to fifteen thousand geese. Among the poorer 

 inhabitants prevails the curious custom of taking hatching 

 geese to nwrse. In every room, not excluding the bed-chambers, 

 there is ranged round the walls, and one above the other, three 

 rows of coarse wicker pens, which are subdivided into little 

 cribs, each large enough to accommodate a goose. Twice a day 

 an individual ^vith a long rag-tipped stick, who calls himself a 

 " gozzard " (probably a handy abbreviation of goose-herd), 

 calls at the different houses for the feathered patients, takes 

 them to water, and then brings them back again. 



Were I a believer in apparitions and things supernatural, 1 

 would for ever eschew the use of a goose-feather bed. I should 

 dread that the many geese that had suffered torture and death 

 that I might lie lazily, would surround my pillow and keep 

 my conscience a quake by quacking to me the anguish they 

 endured for my sake whilst in the flesh ; for, be it known to 

 the Michaelmas reveller, be it known to him, who on a winter's 

 night punches up his pillow and cuddles down cosily, that the 

 creature to whom he is indebted for his gratification led but a 

 wretdied Kfe, and that the first act of kindness shown to him 

 was the wringing of his neck. For why ? " Geese are plucked 

 five times in the year. The first plucking is for quills and fea- 

 thers, and takes place on Lady-day ; and between that time 

 and Michaelmas they undergo four more pluckings for feathers 

 only. Six weeks old goshngs even are not spared — their tail- 

 feathers are plucked out, to habituate them to what they are 

 to come to. 



•■ SitJica '■oua/f tt a circle, with a hundred or so of geese en- 



471 



