BRITISH BIRDS. 
301 
which are left to provide for themfelves during the 
fummer, in the folitary diflant waters, as well as 
thofe which enliven the village green, are put into 
the ftubble fields after harveft, to fatten upon the 
fcattered grain ; and fome are penned up for this 
purpofe, by which they attain to greater bulk ; and 
it is hardly neceflary to obferve, that they are then 
poured in weekly upon the tables of the luxuri- 
ous citizens of every town in the kingdom. But 
thefe diftant and divided fupplies feem trifling 
when compared with the multitudes which, in the 
feafon, are driven in all diredlions into the metro- 
polis : * the former appear only like the fcanty wa- 
terings of the fmall ftreamlet ; the latter like the co- 
pious overflowing torrent of a large river. To the 
country market towns they are carried in bags and 
panniers ; to the great centre of trade they are fent 
in droves of many thoufands. t To a ftranger it is 
a mofl: curious fpedtacle to view thefe hilfing, cack- 
ling, gabbling, but peaceful armies, with grave de- 
portment, waddling along (like other armies) to 
certain deftruftion. The drivers are each provided 
with a long flick, at one end of which a red rag is 
* In ancient times they were driven in much the fame way, 
from the interior of Gaul to Rome. 
f In an article which Mr Latham has copied from the St. 
James’s Chronicle of September 2d, 1783, it is noticed, that a 
drove of about nine thoufand Geefe paffed through ‘Chelmsford 
on their way to London, from Suffolk. 
