Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Chenoboscion

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

CHENOBOSCI'ON (χηνοβοσκεῖον). An enclosure, with its appurtenances, attached to a country-house or farm, appropriated to the breeding and keeping of geese, large flocks of which were maintained on some estate. (Varro, R. R. xii. 10. 1.) It consisted of a spacious yard on the outside of the farm-house and buildings (Columell. viii. 1. 4.), surrounded by a wall nine feet high, which formed the back of an open gallery or colonnade (porticus), under which the pens (harae) for the birds were situated. These were built of masonry or brickwork, each being three feet square, and closed in front by a door. The site selected, where possible, was contiguous to a stream or pool of water; if not, an artificial tank was made for the purpose; and near to, or adjoining, a field of meadow grass, or one sown with artificial grasses, where the soil required it. Columell. viii. 14. 1 — 2.