GEESE 201 



observing that he had stopped in his walk to 

 regard them, left off feeding, or whatever they 

 were doing, and came to him. Not to be fed — 

 it was impossible to believe that they had any 

 such motive ; it was solely and purely a friendly 

 feeUng towards him which caused them im- 

 mediately to respond to his look, and to approach 

 him, to salute him, in their way. And when 

 they had approached to within three or four 

 yards of where he stood, advancing with a 

 quiet dignity, and had then uttered a few soft, 

 low sounds, accompanied with certain graceful 

 gestures, they turned and left him ; but not 

 abruptly, with their backs towards him — oh, no, 

 they did nothing so common ; they were not 

 like other birds — they were perfect in every- 

 thing ; and, moving from him, half paused at 

 intervals, half turning first to one side then the 

 other, inclining their heads as they went. Here 

 our old friend rose and paced up and down the 

 floor, bowing to this side and that and making 

 other suitable gestures, to try to give us some 

 faint idea of the birds' gentle courtesy and ex- 

 quisite grace. It was, he assured us, most 

 astonishing ; the birds' gestures and motions 



