THE GOOSE. 317 



an older and stronger bird, after which his young proUgi 

 would follow him on all his daily walks, never tiring of his 

 company. "On one occasion," says BufiFon, "he heard me 

 talking in the rector's upper room, and as he found the 

 front door open, climbed upstairs, and, marching into the 

 room, gave a loud exclamation of joy, to the no small 

 astonishment of the family." 



A "wriid Bishop Stanley, in his " Familiar History of 



Qoose Chase. Birds," sayS:— "An officer settled on a farm near 

 the Missouri in North America, one day, when walking near the 

 banks of the river, observed a large eagle frequently darting 

 towards the water, and then rising again. On a near approach, 

 he perceived that its object was to take a wild goose, which 

 had alighted on the water, and which was diving to avoid 

 so powerful an enemy. Its efforts, however, appeared to be 

 in vain ; and, after diving again and again, and as often rising 

 to get breath, it became nearly exhausted, when, suddenly 

 turning, it made for the shore with all speed towards the 

 officer's house, where two men were at work, and as soon 

 as it had landed walked leisurely up to them, permitting 

 itself to be taken without attempting to escape. It was 

 completely exhausted, but soon recovered, and within three 

 days seemed quite contented, and confident of protection." 

 Ooose There are some curious instances known of 



Friendships, friendships formed by geese for both men and 

 animals, apparently without any special reason. A goose in 

 Cheshire once followed a farmer with so much persistency, 

 at the plough, to the market, and in the house, that the 

 farmer who had shown it no special kindness, superstitiously 

 regarded it as a bird of ill omen and had it killed. A 

 singular friendship grew up some years ago between a 

 gander at York and an old man who lived near the farm 

 to which the bird belonged. In this case the gander waddled 

 oflF in the morning and spent the day with his human friend, 

 returuing at night to its home at the farm. One of the 



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