206 BIRDS AND MAN 



was the only spot in England in which, sitting in 

 his own room, he could listen to the cry of the 

 pink-footed goose. Only those who have lost 

 their souls will fail to understand. 



The geese I have described, belonging to the 

 three old women, could fly remarkably well, and 

 eventually some of them, during their flights 

 down stream, discovered at a distance of about 

 eight miles from home the immense, low, marshy 

 plain bordering the sea-like Plata River. There 

 were no houses and no people in that endless 

 green, wet land, and they liked it so well that 

 they visited it more and more often, in small 

 flocks of a dozen to twenty birds, going and 

 coming all day long, until aU knew the road. It 

 was observed that when a man on foot or on 

 horseback appeared in sight of one of these flocks, 

 the birds at this distance from home were as wary 

 as really wild birds, and watched the stranger's 

 approach in alarm, and when he was still at a 

 considerable distance rose and flew away beyond 

 sight. 



The old dames grieved at this wandering spirit 

 in their beloved birds, and became more and 

 more anxious for their safety. But by this time 



