the back
but this is not serious as it almost invariably disappears with the
first moult.
_The Wild or Canadian._ Contrary to expectation this breed when
domesticated is very peaceable and very tame. There is often, however, a
tendency for them to grow uneasy when the migratory season comes. To
keep the birds from flying away it is necessary to clip the flight
feathers of one wing or what is safer still to pinion the bird.
Pinioning consists of cutting off the first joint of one wing. This may
be done when the birds are small or may be done at any time and does not
seem to bother them much. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to
break the joint and then cut it off by using a chisel and hammer. Not
much bleeding will result but it is well to put a little iodine on the
cut. These birds breed very true in type and color and progress in the
mating simply consists of continuing to select those birds for breeders
which show markings in the greatest excellence. In type a Canadian goose
is quite different from that of the other breeds mentioned. It is
smaller, set much higher on legs and its body is neater and trimmer, and
is oblong and carried in a horizontal position. The neck is long and
slender. These birds mate only in pairs as a rule and the females do not
mature and lay until they are three years old. The ganders often breed
when they are two years old. Usually only a single sitting of eggs is
laid consisting of from 4 to 8. Usually, however, all of these eggs will
hatch and the young prove to be strong and easily reared.
_The Egyptian._ This is the smallest of the standard breeds of geese. In
type it more nearly approaches the Canadian than any other breed but it
is somewhat longer in legs, showing more of the thigh beneath the body.
The body is not carried in quite such a horizontal position as the
Canadian but slopes downward slightly from the breast to the tail. The
neck is neither so long nor quite so slender as that of the Canadian.
This breed is the brightest colored of any of the geese and breeds
fairly true in color and markings. Like the Canadian the Egyptian goose
is likely to become uneasy at times and one wing should therefore be
pinioned or the flight feathers clipped to keep the birds from flying
away. Like the Canadian the Egyptians mate in pairs only and lay but one
sitting during the year. The females do not lay until they are three
years old.
Neither the Egyptian nor the Canadian geese should be closely confined
or no eggs will