A Brief History oftheSwan Goose(Anser cygnoides)

under
Domestication inthe West
By

Jonathan M.
ThompsonPART I‘Let us grasp the situation; solve the complicated plot; quiet, calm
deliberation disentangles
every knot.’
W.S. Gilbert.

The Rev. E.S. Dixon was well aware of the tangle of information regarding
domesticated Asiatic Geese when he wrote in 1848: “Confusion, therefore, andperplexity are the certain lot of whosoever attempts to trace this bird in our books ofnatural history.” 5 How true; and ensuing writers on poultry helped to confuse thesituation even further.
However, to start at the very beginning, it has been recently been establishedthat the wild Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) existed some 360,000 years
ago.18 Time enough has elapsed for distinct, fixed types to become establishedand, in China today, there are now some twenty-six distinct domesticated ‘forms’of the Swan Goose.
The earliest European account (the writer has found) is by Friar Odoric ofPordenone when, on returning to Europe from his travels through Asia (1316 to1330), he recounts his experiences in a journal written in Latin.20
Although
Odoric gives them no specific name, he describes seeing in the city of Censcalan(Canton, modern Guangzhou, China) large white geese having both a knob
above the beak and a large dewlap on the throat. An early translator of the text
interjects “[He meaneth Pellicans, which the Spaniards cal Alcatrarzi.]”, suggesting
that, at that time, such birds as Odoric describes were unknown to Westernculture. Since time immemorial, Indian and Arab traders have plied the South
China Sea trading with the ports of Canton, Zaiton ( Zaitun or Zayton, = Ts'iuenchau or Chincheu, the present-day Quanzhou ), Xiamen ( modern Amoy) andFoochow (or Fu-chau). European sea-trading with China was underway by1516; the Qing Dynastic Government at first allowed trade only through the portof Canton - where Odoric saw the white geese. The port of Amoy, a little further
to the East, was opened to Europeans in 1541; Britain establishing practically amonopoly over the trade. America was allowed to join the trade in 1783 (after it
became independent from Britain), the appropriately named Empress of Chinareaching China in 1784.In England, in1676, Francis Willughby describes a bird that is recognisable as theChinese Goose;19 and John Ray’s translation of 1678 states: “The SWAN
GOOSE, Anser Guineus : notable for her lifted neck, girdled breast, crested head, andknobbed forehead. This was brought over from abroad, but is now grown common
enough among us; as the Turkey and Peacock also were, which we reckon among ourIn the main text of the work “The Swan Goose” is retained, but
the specific name is given as: “Anser cygnoides Hispanicus seu Guineensis.” =“Swan-like Goose of Spain or Guinea [Africa].” (Trans. JMT.). No-where in thedescription is there mention of a dewlap on the throat.16 These authors had
some images re-engraved more to their taste and true likeness, and the image(Tab. LXXI.) titled “Anser cygnoides, The Swan-goose” is in fact a Canada Goose(Anser Canadensis. Will.), and is explained as such in the preface by John Ray.
Domestics.”

Ray (1713), gives precedent to:- “ANSER Cygneus Guineensis, nonnullis Anser
Hispanicus. The SWAN-GOOSE.” = ‘Swan Goose of Guinea, known to some as SpanishGoose. . .’17 (Trans. JMT.).

It is uncertain which species the Comte Marsili describes in 1726, for although hegives “Anser Hispanicus seu Cygnoides” and the text follows Willughby, theaccompanying figure resembles a form of Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna).14
In works published inEngland in 1731 and1734,
EleazarAlbin
describes two distinct
formsof‘knobbed’
1geese. That the Anser
cygnoidesofbothWillughby and Albin areoneandthesamespecies is certain. The
descriptions, sixty years
apart,
arealmostidenticalandAlbin
provides hand-colouredillustrations to endorse
his text. Albin describes
a bird under the title:“The Spanish Goose, orSwan Goose.
Ansercygnoides” and illustra-tes a bird resembling themodern Chinese Goose,“AnsercaptionedHispanus Oye Espagnol
TheSpanishGoose”(Fig.1).

Fig. 1.

His description and illustrations for his “Moscovian Gander and Goose” (Figs. 1A &1B) appear to modern eyes as large cross-bred birds of possible African-type
descent, complete with knob and dewlap – in the gander at least. Albin does notgive, nor presumes to coin a Latin classification for this bird; possibly because itwas something new to Western culture and unknown to the academics of theday, for he tells us:- “These fine birds I had of a Moscovian Merchant, who sent forthem to that Country with a Design to propagate them here, which he did and sold themat a great price.”

Figs.1A & 1B. Albin’s ‘Moscovian Gander and Goose.” Photo-copy courtesy ofJoseph Locke.

In 1746 Linnæus (Carl von Linné) cites Ray and Willughby, and describes a single
species as “ANAS rostro semicylindrico, basi gibbo”, giving the common names
in Sweden as ‘Turkish Goose’ and ‘Siberian Goose’; stating its plumage
colour varies and that it is ‘a large, loud and raucous domesticated goose, brought infrom abroad.’12 (trans. JMT).

Jacob Klein, of Lubec, writes of two forms in 1750.9 For his “ANSER HISPANICVS,an potious Guineensis” he gives the common name of ‘Spanish Goose’ andcites the ‘Swan-Goose’ of Willughby and Albin, naming Marsili as anothersource. Klein then coins a name new to the series – “ANSER RVSSICVS,” giving it
the common names of ‘Russian’ and ‘Siberian Goose’, citing Albin’s‘Moscovian’ geese, and adding he had seen “ a variety of the Siberian goose, its
throat larger, its bill and legs black, with a black depressed tubercle.”

By 1756 Dr. Patrick Browne lists the “China Goose” as established in Jamaica
and states it has a different voice from common geese.3 From the 1650’s Sea
trade between Jamaica and the western world, as well as the American mainland
was prolific; therefore, it is probable, but not provable, these geese also madetheir way to the Americas around, or before, the 1750’s.

Linnæus’ work of 1758, which has been taken by most scholars to be thedefinitive classification of known species (Brisson’s classification is now regarded
by many to be the better format), gives two forms.13 The first is as given in1746, with the added heading title of “Cygnoid. 2. australis.” The second type isgiven as – “Cygnoid. orientalis. β. Anser, rostro semicylindrico atro basi gibbo,minor.” – having a black (?) beak, smaller. Linnæus cites “Anser Chinensis. It.
Wgot. 145 of 1746, referring to this and Albin’s Moscovian Gander and Goose,saying “Varietas orientalis β, ab australi α, parum differ; imprimis quod illa minor.” =‘There is little specific difference between the two varieties; especially the one (former?)is smaller.’ (Trans. JMT).

Fig. 2

The names “Die Chinesische Gans oder Trompeter, Anser Chinesiensis, Oye deChine” are given by Johann Frisch in his work published in parts, in Germany,
between 1734 and 1763.7 The illustrations, Tab. 153(Fig. 2.) & Tab. 154, thefirst presenting a full page engraving of a bird which appears intermediate
between the modern African and Chinese; the second is a head study withdetail of the dentition of the beak. Frisch’s illustrations are superior to otherworks of this period – excepting Albin - in presenting the birds in a more natural
style and setting.
The Age of Enlightenment saw many scholars reaching for their quills in the race
to document all known facts (and fictions) of Life. In France, Mathurin Brisson
published descriptions of two types of knobbed geese in 1760.2
The first henames “L’Oye de Moscovie – Anser Moscoviticus,” and it is described from Albin’s‘Moscovian’ geese, Klein’s ‘Russian’ geese and (surprisingly and, perhaps,perpetuating the confusion) Linnæus’ second, smaller species, “Cygnoid.
orientalis. β. . . minor”, which is out of context beside the other descriptions
cited;
but the overall description relates to the larger, or ‘African’ type. The
second description is derived from birds he saw in the collection of Louis XV(Madame de Pompadour assembled a vast collection of plants, animals and birds
in the park at Versailles)
and from earlier writers.15 He gives: – “L’Oye deGuineé . . . Anser Guineensis,” stating it to be smaller than the preceding species
and, therefore, it may be taken to describe the precursor of the modern Chinese
Goose. Although the text indicates the only live specimen seen by Brisson washis ‘Guinea Goose’, he comments that Albin’s illustrations of both species arebadly coloured - “avec des figures mal coloriées,”; where-as to modern eyes, as
stated above, Albin’s “Spanish, or Swan Goose” is representative of what is now
known by the name ‘Chinese Goose’. Therefore, it is questionable as precisely
which type and colour of birds Brisson saw at Versailles, and how he could
legitimately comment on Albin’s illustrations without sight of the living, or dead,‘Moscovian’ type.
In 1739 Georges Louis Leclerq, Le Comte de Buffon, was appointed Intendent duJardin des Plantes du Roi (Head of the Royal Botanic Gardens) to Louis XV, someforty years prior to the publication of his volumes on the natural history of birds
as part of his great collective work (One can but suggest a possible rivalry
between Brisson and Buffon. Mme de Pompadour bequeathed her pet dog,
parrot and monkey to Buffon).15 He was aided by all the specialists of his time;
the greater part of the Histoire naturelle des Oiseaux was compiled by Philibert
de Montbeillard & the Abbé Bexon.11 Whoever is responsible for the volumes onwaterfowl, having swept everything into their net, amalgamates all earlier
writers’ descriptions of the two forms of Swan Goose into a single species –L’Oie de Guineé, stating that both Linnæus and Brisson were mistaken in giving
two descriptions for what are, according to this author, one and the samecreature.
The statement becomes even more curious on viewing the illustrations of
Buffon’s ‘Guinea Goose,’ given as they are, in two forms. Buffon engaged
Françoise Martinet (artist and engraver) to produce the lavish folio containing
1,008 hand-coloured plates, of which 973 are birds, known as the Planches
Enlumineés.4 This was published in cahiers (parts or folders), appearing in 1765

to 1783/6 (authorities differ on the dates), and does not follow the classificationor format of the text.

Fig. 3.

The hand-coloured representation of L’Oie de Guineé (Fig. 3.) is poor (in thewriter’s opinion it is cartoon-ish) when compared with the other subjects, but it
is recognisable as a form of the Swan Goose; slight in frame and sporting alarge wattle or dewlap under its black beak. The volume of text describing thebird was published in 1783 and is interspersed with heavier, un-coloured
engravings, after the artist Jacques de Sere (Fig.4). The de Sere illustration
presents a more life-like image of a large, bulky bird after the form of theBuffon and/or his collaborators refused tomodern African Goose.11

acknowledge the marked differences between the two forms, believing them tobe due more to the sex and/or age.

Fig. 4.

Captain Cook’s assistant surgeon, William Ellis, notes in his narrative of 1782,
that while at Hawaii “ , the natives brought off several geese, which were quite tame;they are not unlike the Chinese geese; they called them Na-Na. ” 6 Ellis likens his“Chinese geese” to the Hawaiian Goose or Né Né (Branta Sandvicensis).
Precisely where Ellis had observed his Chinese Geese to be able to make hisassociation is not known; he was, most probably, aware of the smaller, lighter
breed as being common in Britain in his time.
John Latham, in 1785, basically repeats Willughby from over one hundred years
before; attributing his description to Brisson, he adds his own observations to
his text, initially presenting two separate forms, but finally suggesting thediffering descriptions are of the same, but variable subject, stating :Such are the descriptions of Brisson, supposing the above birds to be distinct; but later
observations inform us, they all belong to one species, the characteristic marks of which
are the knob over the bill, and the loose skin under the chin. We are inclined also tothink, that the bird often varies, with the bill, knob, and legs, black; as the major partwhich have come under our inspection have been of that colour.10

In American, President George Washington gives the first mention of “ChineseGeese” on the American mainland in a letter when, in 1788, (America could
openly trade with China from 1783) Gouveneur Morris sent him two Chinese pigs
and with them “a pair of Chinese geese, which are really the foolishest geese I everbeheld: for they choose all times for setting but in the spring, and one of them is evennow [November] actually engaged in that business.”8It has been shown that two forms of the Swan Goose became known in Europe
from around 1734, and a form was common-place in England before 1676; thebeak and feet of the birds being variously orange, red or black in colour; anoccurrence found in the birds to the present day.
For the Americans, at least, their goose had landed; and it bore the title of‘Chinese Goose’, a name retained for the lighter, slighter form of thedomesticated Swan Goose. Such are the confusions in 19th century poultry
literature, in Europe there was to be a further hundred years of confused
evidence before the two forms are accepted, and yet another eighty years before
both forms appear in the British Standards.
Bibliography to Part 1.
1ALBIN, Eleazar [1713 – 1759]
A NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDSJohn Clarke & John Brindley, London, 3 vols., 1731, 1734 & 1738
2

BRISSON, Mathurin Jacques [1723 – 1806]

ORNITHOLOGIA, ou methode...

Paris, 1760.
Revised edition, Lugduni Batavorum, 1763.
3BROWNE, Patrick[1720?- 1790]

THE CIVIL & NATURAL HISTORY OF JAMAICA

Thomas Osborne & J.Shipton, London 1756.

45DAUBENTON, Edme Louis [1732 – 1785](Daubenton, Louis-Jean Marie & Martinet, Francois Nicolas)
PLANCHES ENLUMINÉES[1008 plts.]
Paris: s.n., 1765 – 1783?.
DIXON, Rev. Edmund Saul

[1809 – 1893]

ORNAMENTAL AND DOMESTIC POULTRY

Gardeners' Chronicle, London, 1848.
67

ELLIS, William, Asst. Surgeon, R.N. [d. 1785]
AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE PERFORMED BY CPT. C OOK/CLARKE
Amst./Israel/N.York ; Da Capo Press. Re-print of 1782 edition.
FRISCH, Johann Leonhard[1666 – 1743]

DIE VORSTELLUNG DER VOGEL DEUTSCHLANDSBerlin, 1734-1763.

8HAWORTH, Paul Leland[1876 – 1936]

GEORGE WASHINGTON : FARMER

Bobbs-Merril Company, Indionappollis, 1915.

9KLEIN, Jacob Theodor[1685 – 1759]

HISTORIÆ AVIUM PRODROMUS ....

Lubecæ, 1750.

10LATHAM, John

[1740 – 1837]

A GENERAL SYNOPSIS OF BIRDSLondon, 1781 – 1785.

11LECLERC, George Louis; Count de Buffon[1707 – 1788]
with P.Guéneau de Monteillard & G.L.C.A.Bexon
HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES OISEAUX

De l’imprimerie royale, Paris, [1770] 1771 - 1786. [Tom. IX., 1783].

12LINNÆUS, Carolus (Carlo von Linné) [1707 – 1778]

FAUNA SVECICA SISTENS ANIMALIA SVECIÆ REGNI

13Leiden,

1746

SYSTEMA NATURA

Holmiæ, impenis direct. Laurentii Salvii, 1758
14MARSILI, A. F., Comte [1658 – 1730]
DANUBIUS PANNONIC-MYSICS

Hagae, Comitum & Amsteroodami, 1726.

15

MITFORD, Nancy [1904 – 1973]
MADAME DE POMPADOUR

Sphere Books Limited, London , 1976.

16

RAY, John, FRS., = main author[1627 – 1705]

THE ORNITHOLOGY OF FRANCIS WILLUGHBY, FRS.

17

Royal Society, London, 1768.

SYNOPISIS METHODICA AVIUN & PISCIUM

London, 1713.
18

SHI, X-W; WANG, J-W; ZENG, F-T; QUI,X-P
BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS; VOL.44, Nos.5-6, pp. 237-245(9)Springer, Netherlands 2006.
19

WILLUGHBY, Francis [1635 – 1672], with RAY, John
ORNITHOLOGIÆ

Royal Society, London, 1676.

20YULE, Henry Sir, [1820 – 1889]
CATHAY AND THE WAY THITHER

Hakluyt Society, London,

PART 2 and PART 3
Coming soon

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