﻿GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. 



9 



osier stumps, and consists of a great quantity of dry stalks, 

 rushes, leaves, and divers decayed vegetable remains of the 

 former year, which are piled one upon another, care being 

 taken that the larger are laid down first as a foundation ; the 

 whole fabric is from two to three feet in diameter, and about 

 one foot high ; the eggs vary from five to twelve or fourteen 

 in number, according to the age of the bird, the younger 

 ones not laying more than half the latter number. While 

 the female sits on the eggs the male constantly watches for 

 her safety, and very rarely deserts his post. The female is 

 very careful in covering over the eggs, with some of the sur- 

 rounding material, whenever she leaves the nest for a short 

 time ; and it may serve as a sure guide to persons who go 

 in search of the eggs, that if they are uncovered they are 

 forsaken, and are, consequently, not worth leaving in the nest. 

 As soon as the Goose has laid her full number of eggs, she 

 plucks the down off her breast and belly, and disposes it in 

 such a manner among the eggs, that they retain an equal 

 temperature even at the changes of the weather, or during 

 the short periods when she leaves the nest, once or twice 

 a day. 



In four weeks the young come forth, which, after remaining 

 under the mother the entire first day, are subsequently led to 

 the water and made to swim to some small islet, where they can 

 hide, and feed on blades of young corn, grass, or duckweed. 

 The gander redoubles his watchfulness on the increase of his 

 family, and hardly ever leaves the party. On the approach of 

 danger, the parents resort immediately to the shelter of rushes, 

 standing corn, or long grass, attended by the whole brood, 

 but when surprised on open ground too far from shelter, the 

 young lay themselves flat on the ground in some rut or 

 hollow, and have even been known to be taken up in the 

 hand and carried away ; but if they are near enough to 



