352 
GEESE. 
Thus much for the attention due to the Goose for its 
pecuniary worth ; hut beyond this, it has qualities, we might 
almost say, of the mind, of a very singular character : we 
mean, the unaccountable constancy and affection which it 
has been known to show not only to its own species, and to 
other birds and animals, hut more particularly to man. And 
it is not improbable, that these qualities, which, as we shall 
soon show, were known to the ancients, might have rendered 
it an object of high esteem, and even in some cases sacred, 
as, for instance, it was to Juno, the queen of their idol gods. 
In addition to which it has other qualifications, proving the 
fallacy of the proverbial libel, “ as silly as a Goose.” Thus, 
its watchfulness at night-time has always been noted, and it 
certainly is endowed with a strong organ of self-preservation, 
for, as it has been well observed, you may drive over cat, 
dog, hen, pig, or even pigeon, hut few, if any, can record an 
instance of driving over a tame Goose ; and as for Wild 
Geese, there are no animals, biped or quadruped, so difficult 
to deceive or approach, their sense of hearing, seeing, and 
smelling being so extremely acute ; independently of which, 
they appear to act in so organized and cautious a manner, 
when feeding or roosting, as to defy all danger. Sportsmen 
could give instances without number of their utmost skill 
being of no avail in attempting to approach these birds ; 
either a careless step on a piece of gravel, or an eddy of 
wind, however light, or letting them perceive the smallest 
portion of their persons, has rendered useless whole hours of 
manoeuvring. 
We shall briefly illustrate this part of our history, alluding 
to their instinct and affection, by examples drawn from 
various sources, ancient as well as modern, corroborating 
them with a case which occurred in our own neighbour- 
hood. 
We have just mentioned that this bird was held sacred to 
Juno, and we have good reason for supposing, that by the 
Gauls, an ancient and barbarous people, inhabiting the 
northern and western parts of Europe, it was held in almost 
equal estimation. How long this continued we do not 
