294 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
yet feveral of them are known to remain and breed 
in the fens of Lincolnfliire and Cambridgefhire, and, 
it is faid, in various other parts of Great Britain. 
Pennant fays they refide in the fens the whole year, 
breed there, and hatch about eight or nine young 
ones, which are often taken, eafily made tame, and 
much more efteemed for the excellent flavour of 
their flefli than the domeftic Goofe : he adds, The^ 
old Geefe which are fliot are plucked and fold in 
the market as fine tame ones, and readily bought, 
the purchafer being deceived by the fize ; but their 
flefli is coarfe.” * 
This fpecies is widely and numeroufly fpread over 
all the various parts of the northern world, whence 
fome flocks of them migrate a long way fouthward 
in the winter. Latham fays they feem to be gene^ 
ral inhabitants of the globe, are met with from Lap- 
land to the Cape of Good HopOj^are frequent in 
Arabia, Perfia, and China, as well as indigenous to 
places where they breed, in one day, or at one flight; for great 
numbers of them are known to flop for feveral days, both in go- 
ing and coming back again, at the mouth of the Tees, Preftwlck- 
Car, the haughs of the river Till, near Wooler In Northumber- 
land, and at fome places in the Merfe in Scotland. 
This is the cafe with all very old Geefe, both tame and 
wild ; but the flefli of a middle-aged one of the latter fort, in 
the fpring of the year, when the bird is In full feather, is very 
tender, finely flavoured, and nov/ife like that of the Tame 
Goofe either in tafte or colour. 
