THE DOMESTIC GOOSE. 



217 



form her nest with ; but, sometimes, she will only- 

 throw them about. 



When this is observed, the geese should be watched, 

 lest they lay in some by-place, and the eggs be lost. 

 " Wherefore," says Masoall, " towarde night, ye must 

 take them up, and feele how many be ready to lay, 

 which ye shall perceive if sheebe nye laying, yee shall 

 feele the end of her egge harde at her vent. Then 

 shutte her up, and put her alone in a neast till she have 

 layd, so she will seeke that place agayne to lay." 



It is an essential precaution, M. Parmentier says, as 

 soon as it is perceived that geese want to lay, to coop 

 them up under their roof, where nests made of straw 

 have been previously prepared. If they can once be 

 induced to lay in this nest, they will continue to do so 

 till their number of eggs is completed. 



In order to have early goslings, geese should be 

 brought to lay early by keeping them in a warm, clean 

 place, and feeding them on stimulant food. 



INCUBATION. 



When a goose is observed to keep her nest longer 

 than usual, after laying an egg, it is a pretty sure in- 

 dication that she is desirous of sitting. The nest for 

 hatching should be made of clean straw, lined with 

 hay, and from fourteen to eighteen eggs will be as 

 many as a large goose can conveniently cover. Dur- 

 ing the period of incubation, the gander is very atten- 

 tive to his favorite, sits by her, and is vigilant and 

 daring in her defence. 



The goose sits about one month, and requires to 

 have food and water placed near her, that she may not 

 be so long absent as to allow the eggs to cool, which 

 might cause her to abandon her task. It is the prac- 

 tice of some to put vinegar in the water, and of 

 others to lift them off the nests to make them drink, 

 but neither of these is necessary. 



It is an economical way of getting a great number 

 of goslings, to employ turkey hens to hatch. The 

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