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Show Goose Was Established in Europe Ahead of Man The goose goes far back into antiquity an-tiquity as a provider of food as well as feathers. It was already established in Europe before man came along, and with the possible exception of the common hen, was probably the first bird domesticated. domesticat-ed. Four thousand years ago It was regarded as a sacred bird in Egypt, though In so far as that may translate into tribute It must be discounted by the fact that the Egyptians early made It a habit to multiply their stock by sacred birds in species. There are references refer-ences to geese In some of the Sanskrit San-skrit writings, and In the tombs of Luxor figures of geese are Included In-cluded among the decorations. The Romans considered goose liver liv-er a great delicacy, and enormous numbers of the birds were placed In pens and forcibly fattened by cram-i cram-i ming. It was probably some o? these geese whose loud alarm saved the Itoman capital from the attack of the Gauls In the Fourth century, B. C. In Pliny's time geese were driven across Europe In flocks from France and Belgium Into Italy. And I'liny adds, "Messulinus Cotta, the son of Messala, the orator, discovered discov-ered the method of cooking the webs of the goose's feet, and fricas-seeing fricas-seeing them in small dishes along -with cocks' combs." The Celts are reputed to have the largest responsibility for popularizing pop-ularizing the goose; from them the Romans learned the art of filling cushions and mattresses with the feathers to make luxurious couches. |