THE DOMESTIC GOOSE; 



Stripped while alive of its quills, 



THE DOMESTIC GOOSE. 



THE common tame goose is nothing more 

 than the wild goose in a state of domestication. 

 It is sometimes found white, though much more 

 frequently verging to grey ; and it is a dispute 

 among men of taste, which should have the pre- 

 ference. 



These birds, in rural economy, are an object 

 of attention and profit, and are no where kept in 

 such vast quantities as in the fens of Lincoln- 

 shire; several persons there having as many as a 

 thousand breeders. They are bred for the sake of 

 their quills and feathers; for which they are strip- 

 ped while alive, once in the year for their quills,and 

 no less than five times for the feathers : the first 

 plucking commences about Lady-day, for both; 

 and the other four are between Lady-day and 

 Michaelmas. It is said that in general the birds 

 do not suffer much from this operation; except 

 cold weather sets in, which then kills great num- 

 bers of them. The old geese submit quietly to 

 be plucked, but the young ones are very noisy 

 and unruly. Mr. Pennant savs he once saw this 

 business performed, and observed, that even gos- 

 lins of only six weeks old were not spared for 

 their tails were plucked, as he was told, to inure 

 them early to the custom. The possessors, ex- 

 cept in this cruel practice, treat their birds with 



