BREEDS AND VARIETIES 



upon Toulouse, African or Embden geese. The re- 

 sult of this cross is a hybrid goose which has much 

 the appearance of the Wild goose but which will 

 not breed although the females will lay eggs. As a 

 rule Toulouse or African females are used for the 

 cross rather than Embden as from the latter there 

 is a greater tendency to get a lighter cross which 

 would not resemble its Wild father so closely and 

 might not therefore be so readily recognized as gen- 

 uine mongrel geese. 



Nomenclature. The term geese is used to indicate 

 the birds of both sexes taken as a whole and also as a 

 plural form for the word goose. The term goose is used 

 to distinguish the female of the species. The male 

 is given the specific name of gander to distinguish 

 it from goose. The young of both sexes are termed 

 goslings. In giving the standard weights for the 

 different breeds of geese the birds are classified as 

 adult ganders and young ganders and as adult geese 

 and young geese. By adult goose or gander is meant 

 a bird which is over one year old, by young goose or 

 gander is meant a bird which is less than one year. 

 Not infrequently in connection with market reports 

 use will be made of the term "green geese". This in- 

 dicates birds which are marketed when they are of 

 large size but still young and immature, the green 

 referring to this Immature condition. 



Size. An idea of the size of the different standard 

 breeds of geese can best be secured by giving the 

 standard weights. They are as follows: 



149 



