these are remarkable for their powers of swimming and diving;
they-.are commonly called Water Fowl, and as an Order
have frequently been designated Palmipedes, in reference to
their webbed feet. From thè geographical position, extent,
and-varied character of the British Islands, the species of this
Order are very numerous, comprehending nearly one third d f
the whole number of our British-Birds. The first family of
this Order, the Anatidse, is also extensive, .including the Geese,
Swans, Ducks and Mergansers. The first three portions were
formerly considered as belonging but to one genus, Anas;
and hence the' family name Anatidse: modern ‘systematic
authors have found it more convenient, as well as desirable, to
divide. them into smaller groups, which are known to.be distinct
in their characters and habits, and these willbe hereafter
referred to. Many of the species are of great interest and
value.
Under the term, Wild Goose, four or five species are
frequently included, and the Grey Lag Goose, or Greylegged
Goose, which is considered to flap the true reading,
the first on our list, has not always been so wëlè defined or, represented
as to exhibit the' true .specific characters, that distinguish
. it from- the Bean Goose and White-fronted Goose,
with which the Grey-legged Goose is the most frequently
confounded. The present "species is Considered to be the
origin from which our valuable,domesticjcace^r derived ; ; and
to show the aptitude of the wild bird to this- -purpose,.I may
mention, that the- Zoological Society-of London*, ‘poésessing
a pinioned wild Grey-legged Gande^which had never associated
with either Bean Goose or White-fronted ‘Goose,
though both were kept on the same water with him,- a domestic
goose" selected in the London market j from the circumstance
of her exhibiting in her plumage thé marks which belong
to, and distinguish the true Grey-legged spiëCies, was
this season,-1841, brought and put down to :him. The pair
weré confined together by themselves for a few days, became
immediately very good friends, and a sitting of eight eggs
was the conséquence-, r»
Tfieref is, howéver, some reason to believe- that one other
species* -at least,'has had some, share in establishing our present
domestic race. Almost all the species of Geese, Swans,
Ducks,- ando]\4:ergfenser.s,4areuremarkable for the peculiar form
of their- organ ,of fvôiçé$ or windpipe, and so peculiar aS well
as permanentes this anatomical character, that the malessOf
the^iàt-ish.speciesiosfi tl# ? family&cpnsisting:/of about forty,
_ almost all of them, but more particularly the Swans, Ducks
;.anjLMergai\serSj can*?be immediatelyridentiifeed. by the examina-*
tion of thisrierga^-alone. J Figurés of will be hereafter
ced. "as vrgrieitq^MrihfefepeLei'es^ to which they belong.
In'the W ild |lG % e tg g e #G o p sm ,t^ |^ e of the windpipe is
nearly/cyHn'frieal,. and this form of trachea I have frequently
n attl nn£ofi.dome^ftteÉe,e§é. intended for the?table ;
but. I hav^alSO freque^ly found they^lfbd* flattened- at thé
ytower, portion, a character whiebris.- constant in the Atiser albi~
fransy &s W Y à Q & p j f a jü A ; and there are few persons
well.- acquainted with : the appearance ©f our domestic geese
who hate -nofëbsferyeddn jnany*of them the white ring of feathers
round the base of the beak. extending a little upwards on
the -forehead,-i-from which the* Anser. albifrons derives^ one of
Mbs. names : the figure of the Whitedronted Goose, the fourth
species here given, will exhibit this mark. The legs of many
dômesti^geese „are orange coloured*-, l i k # . t h ^ the
white fronted ; ;4he4egsxjE>f - the Wild Grey^feggpd Geese are
of a pale flesh colour; The whit^celouf of; tlie? horny tennjj^
nation of the beak,,ealied-th^itail^common to both. The
. occasional deviation- from the natural colour of' the plumage,
of the. wild birds to a^p#e,i#hite, is probably caused by domes-
tication-’and ï^ekection^ ’
The Grey-legged Wild|Goose is said to have been former