GEESE 193 



three young geese pressed forward and were 



allowed to pass in ; then the gate was slammed 



in the face of the gander and the rest of his 



followers, and the man went back to the cottage. 



The gander's indignation was fine to see, though 



he had most probably experienced the same 



rude treatment on many previous occasions. 



Drawing up to the gate again he called more 



loudly than before ; then dehberately Ufted a 



leg, and placing his broad webbed foot like an 



open hand against the gate actually tried to 



push it open ! His strength was not sufficient ; 



but he continued to push and to call until 



the man returned to open the gate and let the 



birds go in. 



It was an amusing scene, and the behaviour 



of the bird struck me as characteristic. It was 



this lofty spirit of the goose and strict adhesion 



to his rights, as well as his noble appearance 



and the stately formality and deliberation of his 



conduct, that caused me very long ago to respect 



and admire him above all our domestic birds. 



Doubtless from the assthetic point of view other 



domesticated species are his superiors in some 



things : the mute swan, " floating double," 



o 



