The faculties of birds / [Anon].

  • James Rennie
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The faculties of birds / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    52/392 page 30
    by the meanes of geese was defended and saved; whereas at the same time, through the default of dogs (which should have given warning) all had like to have bin lost*.” iElian a^ain tells us that the Gauls bribed the dogs of the capitol to silence with food, which the geese refused and screamed outf; and hence it was inferred by Columella that geese are preferable to dogs for watching a farm J, while Vege- tius does not hesitate to assert that they are the most vigilant sentinels that can be planted in a besieged city §. In this opinion most naturalists, from Al- bertus Magnus and Aldrovand down to Buffon and Bewick, concur. “It is certain,” says the last, “that nothing can stir in the night, nor the least or most distant noise be made, but the geese are roused, and immediately begin to hold their cackling converse; and, on the nearer approach of apprehended danger, they set up their more shrill and clamorous cries||.” From the incident in the Roman history alone, the goose has been rendered as famous for its quick¬ ness of hearing as the eagle for acuteness of vision •{[, though Caelius Rhodiginus thinks the wild boar may dispute the palm with it**. Other authors attribute the supposed vigilance of the goose to its acute smell; and Lucretius adopting this opinion says, “ The white goose, the preserver of the citadel of Romulus, scents the odour of man at a great distance ft; and Isidore echoes the same opinion l\. But, whatever truth may be in the narratives given by Livy and /Elian, we are quite certain that, so far from possessing any superiority either in hearing or smelling, the goose is much inferior to many other # Hist. Nat. x. 22, by Holland. f De Animal, xii. 33. I De Re Rustica. || Birds, 293, ed. 1826. § De Re Militar. iv. 26. Gelli, Circe. ft De Rerum Natura,pv. ** Lect. Antiq. xx. Etymol. xii. 7.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3