C# 3.0 Design Patterns

Colophon

The animal on the cover of C# 3.0 Design Patterns is a greylag goose (Anser anser), probably one of the first domesticated animals. Archaeological evidence suggests that domestic geese lived in ancient Egypt and Rome 3,000 years ago.

Fairly large birds, usually weighing between 5–12 pounds, greylag geese have an average wingspan of 59–66 inches and are generally 29–30 inches in length. Their plumage is grayish-brown, their bellies are white, and their lower breasts are shaded gray. Their bills are large and yellow, and their feet and legs are a pink, flesh-like color. (Younger geese have gray legs and feet that turn pinker as they age.)

They are migratory birds that fly south or west in the winter to escape the harsh weather. During the summer, they live in Scotland, Iceland, Scandinavia, as far east as Russia, Poland, and Germany. In autumn, the geese in Iceland migrate to the British Isles, while the rest of the greylag geese in Europe head to places like the Netherlands, Spain, France, and East Africa.

A social bird, it travels long distances in groups, often in the familiar v-shape pattern. Their groups range from small families to flocks with tens of thousands of geese.

The time at which their breeding season begins depends on their geographic location. In Scotland, breeding starts in late April; in Iceland it starts in early May; and in Europe, it starts earlier. During breeding season, greylag geese live in marshes and fens—places with a lot of vegetation. Nests ...