GOO 
GOO 
with a long pendent crefb of the fame colour. 
Ths upper part of the neck, of the breaR', and the 
v/hole belly, are white; the lower part of the 
breafi is ferruginous, fpotted with black; the up- 
per part of the back is black; and near the infer- 
tion of the wings there are fome white feathers, 
edged and tipped with black. The exterior fca- 
pulars are black, the interior being white; the 
lower part of the back, the coverts of the tail, and 
the feathers that cover the thighs, are elegantly 
marked with wavy lines of black; the coverts on 
the ridges of the wings are duflcy; the greater co- 
verts are half black, and half white; the feconda- 
ries next the quill-feathers are marked in the fame 
manner; and the quill-feathers are duOcv. The 
tail is fhort and brown ; and the legs, which are 
ftrong, are orange-coloured. 
In the female, the upper part of the neck is of a 
deep ruft-colour; the crefl: is fhort; the throat is 
white; the fore-part of the neck and breafi: are 
marbled with deep afh-colour; the belly is white; 
the great quill-feathers are duflcy; the fecondaries 
are black, white, and duflcy; and the back, fcapu- 
lars, and tail, are alh-coloured. 
GOOSE. In the Linn^ean fyftem, this forms 
a difrinil order of birds, including the fwan, the 
Goofe, and the duck tribes ; between which there 
is a great fimilarity, particularly the duck and the 
Goofe fpecies, which approach fo nearly to each 
other, that it may not be improper to mark the 
difcinftions. The diftinguifhing characters of the 
Goofe are thefe: it's body is bigger, it's wings are 
larger, it's neck is longer, it's bill is thicker at tlie 
bafe, it's legs are placed more forwards on the 
body, and it's rump is encircled with a white ring. 
By thefe marks the duck and the Goofe kinds may 
be difcriminated; and though the former may 
fometimes equal the latter in fize, there flrill re- 
main other fufficicnt and obvious diftinv^lions. 
The bill is the firft great diftinftion of the 
Goofe kind from all the feathered tribe. In other 
birds, it is round and wedge like, or crooked at 
the end : in all the Goofe kind it is flat and broad, 
formed for the purpofes of fkimming ponds and 
lakes of the mantling weeds which grow on their 
flirfaces. The bills of other birds are compofed 
of a horny fubftance throughout, formed for pierc- 
ing- or tearino;: thefe birds have their inofienfive 
beaks fbeathed with a fkin which entirely co- 
vers them; and are only adapted for fhovelling 
up their food, which is chiefly of the vegetable 
kind. 
Though birds of the Goofe kind do not reject 
animal food when offered them, they contentedly 
fubfift on vegetable, and feldom feek any other. 
Tliey are eafily provided for; and, wherever there 
is water, they are fare to find plenty. All the 
other v/eb-footed tnbes are continually voracious, 
and incefTantly preying: but thefe lead more inno- 
cent lives; the weeds on the furfaces of waters, or 
the infcfts at their bottoms; the grafs by the banks, 
or the fruits and corn in cultivated grounds; are 
fufficient to latisf/ their gentle appetites. 
As their food is chiefly of the vegetable kind, 
fo their fecundity is in proportion. Predaceous 
animals, whether birds or quadrupeds, are gene- 
rally unfruitful. Nature, Vv'hich has fupplied them 
v/itii powers of defcrudtion, has denied them fer- 
tility. But the cafe is far otherwife with refpefl 
to thofe harmlefs animals nov/ under confidera- 
tion: they fccm formed to fill up the chafins in 
animated nature caufcd by the voracioulhefs of 
oiihersj they breed in great abundance, and lead 
their young to the pools as foon as they are ex- 
cluded from their eo;2;s. 
The flefh of this tribe is nourifiiing and whole- 
fome. The fwan was regarded as a great delicacy 
among the ancients; but the Goofe was abftained 
fiom, as totally unfit for food. Modern manners 
have inverted taftes: the Goofe is now become 
the favourite; and the fwan is feldom brought to 
table, unlefs for the purpofe of of-entation. At 
all times, however, the flelh of the duck has been 
in high efteem; the ancients even regarded it more 
highly than the moderns: we are contented to cat; 
it as a delicacy; the ancients confidered it as me- 
dicinal; and Plutarch afTures us, that Cato kept 
his whole family in health by feeding them with 
duck whenever they happened to have fymptoms 
of indifpofition. 
The valuable qualities of great fecundity, eafy 
fuftenance, and falubrious nourifliment, have ope- 
rated on man to take thefe fowls from a ftate of 
nature, and render them domeftic. How long 
they have been reclaimed from their original in- 
dependence, is not eafily afcertained ; for, from the 
earlieft accounts, they have held their prefent rank. 
The time indeed muft have been very remote; fo 
many changes have been wrought in their colours, 
their figures, and even their internal formations, 
by human cultivation. 
The different kinds of thefe birds, in a wild 
ftate, are fimple in their colourings. When a 
faithful defcription of the plumage of a wild 
Goofe, or wild duck, is given, it will to a feather 
correfpond with that of any other; but, in the tame 
kinds, no two of any fpecies are exaftly alike: 
different in fize, colour, and frequently in form, 
they appear to be the mere creatures of art; and, 
having been fo long dependent on man for fup- 
port, they feem to affume forms fuited to his plea- 
fures or necefiities. 
Goose, Wild. The Goofe, in it's wild ftate, 
always retains the fame marks : the whole upper 
part is afli-coloured ; the breaft and belly are of 
a dirty white ; the quill-feathers and the tail are 
dufl<:y, the latter being edged v/ith white; the bill 
is narrow, black at the bafe and tip, and red in the 
middle; the legs are of a faftron colour; and the 
claws are black. 
Wild Geefe are fuppofed to breed in the more 
retired parts of the north of Europe; and, at the 
approach of winter, to defcend into more tempe- 
rate regions. Thefe birds are often feen, in flocks 
of fifty or a hundred, flying at very great heights, 
and preferving great regularity in their motions; 
fometimes forming a ftraight line; and, at others, 
affuming the fhape of a wedge, v/hich is fuppofed 
to facilitate their progrefs. Their cry is frequently 
heard when they are at an imperceptible diftance 
above us; and it is probable that this is a note of 
mutual encouragement, as they leem to exert it 
when they alight during thofe journies. When 
on the ground, they range thcmfelves in a line, 
after the manner of cranes ; and feem to have de- 
fcended rather for the fake of reft than for any 
other refrefliment. Elaving continued in this 
fituation for an hour or two, one of them has been 
heard to found a kind of charge, by means of a 
loud note, which has been punctually attended to 
by the others ; and the whole flock has immediately 
purfued their ]Ourney with renewed alacrity. 
The Wild Goofe, and many other varieties, 
agree in one common charader of feeding on ve- 
getables, 
