DUCK. 253 



tliem, called aGozzard, or Goose-herd, drives the whole to the water 

 twice in a day, and bringing them back to their habitations, places 

 every one in its respective nest, without missing one.* Independent 

 of the use of the quills for writing, they were in early times in much 

 demand for feathering arrows. In 1417 and 1418, King Henry V. 

 attributes his victory of Agincourt to the archers, and directs the 

 sherives of many counties to pluck from every Goose six wing 

 feathers,! for the purpose of improving arrows, which are to be paid 

 for by the King. It is scarcely credible what numbers of Geese are 

 driven from the distant counties to London for sale, frecpiently two 

 or three thousand in a drove. X 



Formerly the price of Geese in Wiltshire was regulated by that of 

 mutton, both being the same by the pound, without the feathers. 

 The usual weight of a tine Goose is 15 or 16 pounds; and we have 

 known one to weigh 18 pounds or more without the feathers; but it 

 is scarcely to be believed how far this may be increased by cramming 

 them with bean meal, and other fattening diet. The victims destined 

 for this surfeit are by some nailed to the floor by the webs of the toes, 

 which gives little or no pain, and prevents the possibility of action ; 

 to which, we are told, the French add the refinement of putting out 

 the eyes ;§ but what end this last barbarity can answer is hard to 

 conjecture, nor are we informed to what weight they arrive in that 

 nation ; but it is said that 28 or even 30 pounds is not an uncommon 

 thing in England. The Romans were fond of the livers of Geese, 

 which they enlarged to a surprising degree, by means of particular 

 fattening food ; and we find that at this day the livers both of Geese 



* Tour in Scotland, 8vo. p. 8. Br. Zoo/, ii. 571. 



f These feathers should consist of the second, third, and fourth of each wing. — Archceol. 

 vii. p. 52. [u]. 



% A drove of above 9,000 Geese passed through Chelmsford, in the way to Londou, 

 from Suffolk. — St. James's Chronicle, Sept. 2, 1783. In the journey from the distant parts 

 they walk at the rate of eight or ten miles per day, travelling from three o'clock in the 

 morning to nine at night; and when it happens that some are much fatigued, such are fed 

 with oats instead of barley, their usual food during the journey. 



§ Salem. Orn. p. 407. 



