4 \vuday Wi gil Ly 1an 10n itut ithson Sm Inst ip) eB) = t= fe) oe! ea) — H Purchased with Funds from CELIA BARTEAU cay fei si a COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS British Birds, AND THEIR Ggqgs. BY H. L. MEYER. VOL. VI. SIXTY PLATES. CONTAINING =e : | , iia Se a Z Ww LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & Co. 1849. CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME. Thick Knee : Grey Leg Wild Goose Pink-legged Bean Goose Orange-legged Bean Goose . White-fronted Goose Bernicle Goose Brent Goose Cravat Goose Red-breasted Goose Spur-winged Goose . Egyptian Goose Swan Goose Cream-coloured Goose . Mute Swan . Whistling,Swan Bewick’s Swan Black Swan Ruddy Shieldrake Shieldrake Shoveller Gadwall : Mallard, or Wild Duck Pintail . Teal Gargany Teal Bimaculated Duck Wigeon Summer Duck PLATE 226. 227. 228. 229. 230. 231. 232. 233. 234. 235. 236. 237. 238. 239. 240. 241, 242, 243. 244, 245. 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251, 252. 253. 103 108 111 115 1V CONTENTS. PLATE PAGE Black Seoter . ; ; ; ; <. 204s Velvet Scoter : 4 : : : Pasay, | Ay Surf Seoter é : F ; : - 2565 eT Eider Duck : 5 : : : Asis 118%0) King Hider : 5 2 : : . 258. 185 Red-headed Pochard ‘ ; : ; pax), 1348) Red-crested Pochard . : : : . 260. 148 Nyroca Pochard . : é ; : 261. 146 Scaup Pochard . . : 5 0 - 9262.0 ibe Tufted Pochard F ; ; ; F 263) elde Western Pochard : 3 : ; > 92645 S160, Long-tailed Duck : : 6 5 265. 163 Golden Eye. : : : : | 266.) Gy; Harlequin Duck. : 5 . . 267— "val Goosander : : : : j 1 2OSsapemleie Red-breasted Merganser. : 5 5 269 elo, Hooded Merganser : : : : a AAO Ge! Gi NG SE Pi mat Ala Mb DY Oke ee oats : Pi ae ' bas | Wes Mi wu) oy t ayy uy ed Oh Penny rolthess AS even Whey bs ana is re i x teen MUA in Poa rctngsse jag as tg a eae ERE ton eee er ILLUSTRATIONS OF BRITISH BIRDS. GRALLATORES. CHARADRIID. PLATE CCXXVI. THICK-KNEE. CDICNEMUS CREPITANS. Tue Thick-knee, as a summer visitant in Great Britain, is not uncommon, but in consequence of its nocturnal habits is not much seen by the common observer. Besides the name above given it, this species is also known by the appellation of the Stone Curlew, and Norfolk Plover, the first of which has reference to the barren and stony localities it frequents ; and the latter it has obtained on account of the frequency of its appearance in that county, a circumstance easily accounted for, Norfolk and Suffolk being the most likely of all our eastern counties to invite its stay during its periodical mi- grations, on account of the nature of the soil. In parts of Surrey these birds are not uncommon; we have seen a VOL. VI. B a CHARADRIIDS. pair of them very frequently in a fallow field on the estate of the Hon. Locke King, in that county, beside which a public footpath runs from Chertsey Mead to the bridge over the Wey. The geographical distribution of this bird extends over all the temperate countries of Hurope, and over many parts of Asia and Africa; such as the East Indies, Arabia, Syria, Persia, and the southern parts of Siberia; as well as over Abyssinia, Nubia, and Egypt. The countries in Hurope in which the Thick-knee chiefly abounds, are Turkey, Greece, Italy, the islands of the Mediterranean, Spain, and the south of France. In Switzerland and Holland it is not common. The period of the arrival of this species with us is the latter end of March, and the beginning of April, and that of its departure the middle of August and September ; it consequently only seems to sojourn here during the breeding season. The migratory journeys of this Plover are per- formed during the night, in families numbering from four to six or seven in autumn, at which time the young are returning southward with their parents ; but they are only seen singly, or at most in pairs in the spring. In the south of Hurope many remain throughout the year. The localities most frequented by the Thick-knee are of an open character, such as uncultivated wastes, fallow land, heathy ground, intermixed with barren patches of sand or gravel; also sheep-walks that, on account of their unproductive nature, are not of common resort ; and, above all, the spots most unfrequented by man; but, under all circumstances, flat ground it must be, as this bird never frequents hilly districts, Although this species resorts to some open river, lake, or pond every evening to satisfy its thirst, and its propensity THICK-KNEE. 3 for bathing, it seldom approaches the water during the day. Wooded localities it also avoids, unless young plantations of Scotch fir can be so called, as it seems very partial to ranging among them, if the surface of the ground is dry and sandy, and abounds with the cones of that kind of fir, which, as they lie on the ground, harbour many insects suitable to this species. Its great fear of the approach of man keeps the Thick-knee in the midst of the before-named open and barren localities; in such places it also roosts during the day, either standing on one leg, with its head buried up to the eyes in its back feathers, or squatting close to the ground. During the whole night the Thick-knee is lively and busy in pursuit of its food. The general appearance of the Thick-knee is peculiar, and cannot be mistaken, in consequence of its thick head, long _ legs, and dull-coloured plumage; it goes about on the ground with stiff legs, proceeding at short intervals rather leisurely ; but when endangered by the approach of an in- truder, it runs incredibly fast, and to the greatest distance that the ground allows, before it takes wing; its flight is not quick in the day, but rather heavily pursued, flying with arched wings, low over the ground ; at night it flies generally with more ease and buoyancy, and much higher, particu- larly during the migratory time of the year. The Thick-knee is not only shy in common with most other birds, but is so in the greatest degree, as it avoids not only sportsmen, but shepherds and ploughmen, cattle and carriages ; and the colouring of its plumage being quite in harmony with sandy ground, and the short and dry vegetation on it, contributes very considerably to its safety, of which the young birds seem by instinct to be well aware, as they fre- quently lie down close to the ground, on the approach of danger. The sociability of the Thick-knee with its own species is B 2 4 CHARADRIID&. also very slight, the small parties that travel together being only made up of the individuals of a family ; and as soon as the young birds can shift for themselves, they leave the parents altogether. In autumn and winter, consequently, the Thick-knee ranges about in a lonely manner. Towards the pairing season the males enter the lists for the possession of a mate, and the victor approaches his bride with his head much lowered, his wings drooping, and his tail erect, and fanned out, uttering at the same time, his cooing love-notes, dit, or dallit, dillit! ‘The usual call-note of this species sounds like kreleet, or kr@eet, which it utters chiefly during the evening and night, when on the wing, but rarely in the day. In confinement, the Thick-knee can easily be tamed, and shews great partiality towards its keeper, and in con- sequence of its hardy nature, it lives toa great age; but as . it has no remunerating qualities, it is not often kept by others than lovers of ornithology. Its food in a natural state is chiefly worms, insects and their larvee, in search of which it visits the neighbouring meadows and pasture lands, where small snails and slugs also become its prey. During the day, the Thick-knee is obliged to search for worms under small lumps of peat-earth, and beneath stones; thus the ornithologist is frequently made acquainted with the vicinity of one or more of these birds, by the number of smal] stones that may be found turned over, and by the spot where the stone has laid being disturbed. The breeding arrangements of the species seem to be carried on in the most independent, careless manner possible, the female only scratching the sandy, dry ground of the spot chosen, and depositing her two or three eggs on it, without the least lining of any description ; the eggs are consequently id THICK-KNEE. oO open to the eyes ofall birds of prey, and vermin of all kinds. The female sits from sixteen to seventeen days on the eggs, being sometimes assisted by the male bird in this office. The young remain one day in the nest, under the care of the mother, and leave it for ever on the second day ; it is also remarkable that in a nest of three eggs rarely more than two birds are hatched. Before the young can provide for themselves the parents take great care of them, and have been observed on the approach of danger, to lead them among standing corn, or potatos, and as soon as they were in safety the parents have been seen to fly off to a distance, in order to distract the attention of the pursuer. The entire length of this species is seventeen inches ; the wing measures nearly ten inches; the beak one inch eight lines in length, of which the basal half is wine-yellow, and the tip black; the tarsus measures three inches five lines ; the middle toe one inch and a half; the colouring of the legs and feet wine-yellow ; the iris orange-yellow. The top of the head and nape are wood-brown, with dusky streaks ; a dark line encircles the eyes, and another originates at the base of the lower mandible, and encircles the ear-coverts; the cheeks, chin, and throat, white ;- all the upper parts are wood-brown, each feather bordered with straw-yellow, having a dusky streak along the shafts. A light coloured band runs across the smaller feathers on the wing, about half an inch in width, which appears among the darker feathers as if the colour has been washed out with a brush, and is of a very extraordinary character and ap- pearance; the under parts are straw-coloured, marked with dusky streaks; under tail-coverts rufous; the outer tail- feathers white at the base, and black at the tips; quills brownish black. ‘The young are more dusky in colouring. The egg figured 226 is that. of the Thick-knee. 6 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATIDA. PLATE CCXXVII. GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. ANSER PALUSTRIS. Tue Grey Lag Wild Goose is at present only a winter visitant in Great Britain, its occurrence being more rare than formerly, in consequence of the increase of cultivation and population. According to former ornithologists it not only visited us periodically, but was even numerous in the fenny districts of Lincolnshire and the neighbouring counties, and some pairs remained annually to breed. This species is distributed over Europe, Asia, and Africa, but does not seem to extend further north than the sixty-third degree of north latitude. In Europe it is generally distributed over the central and eastern countries, such as the coast of Norway, parts of Sweden, the more temperate provinces of Russia, and the borders of the Baltic. In Pomerania it is rather more plentiful ; and occurs in many parts of Prussia, Po- land, Silesia, and Saxony. In Holland, France, and Swit- zerland, it is rarely met with. In Asia it visits the temperate parts of Siberia during the summer months, and during the winter the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, Persia, and the Dead Sea. In Africa it only visits the north and north- western parts. GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. Te The localities chosen by the present species are, the vicinity of some inland sea or lake, the borders of large ponds, and also, during cold weather, the sea-shore where the ground is covered partly with sedges and rushes of the thickest nature and greatest extent; but it remains yet to be ascertained in what countries the Grey Lag Wild Geese chiefly abound in the winter months; unless their numbers are small, or that they are generally dispersed over most temperate countries ; or that they retire to unfrequented barren commons during the day-time. The general appearance of the present species on the ground is more gainly and slender than that of our domesti- cated goose, of which it is supposed to be the origin, and it ex- ceeds it greatly in the ease with which it walks about, as regards both its appearance and capacity; on the wing it is strong, but heavy, although it moves on at a considerable rate in proportion to its bulk. When the bird flies to a short dis- tance only, it does not mount above thirty or forty yards from the ground ; but when migrating or leaving the neigh- bourhood, it flies at a great height; and when in companies, they proceed in the manner well known to all observers, being headed by one individual, and forming the letter V. It is remarkable that when a pair of wild geese, during the breeding-season, fly to or from their feeding-ground, the female generally flies before the male, as if the gander wished to shew his good breeding in giving the preference to the fair Sex. By nature the present species is very shy, and can only be approached by a sportsman by stealth, whereas either a shep- herd, ploughman, woman, or child, is very little heeded. This bird appears sociable among its own species, as a solitary bird is hardly ever met with; but it does not easily mix in company with other geese, and least of all with the 8 , ANATIDE. Bean Goose. It has been recorded that a male of the Grey Lag Wild Goose has paired with a tame goose in a farm-yard, but of the other sex such a circumstance has not been noticed. The call-note of the present species is so exactly the same as that of the tame goose, that the most practised ear is unable to distinguish the one from the other; it is uttered very frequently, but particularly while the bird is on the wing, or on meeting with a stragegler. In the spring of the year the young male birds fight very valiantly for the possession of a mate, and two young males will frequently take hold of each other by the neck and beat with their wings until one is exhausted and obliged to yield ; during this time the females stand round about, keep- ing up a continuous cackling, either to accompany the fight, or to induce the combatants to desist. When the birds have paired, they reside in swamps, on rivers, lakes, ponds, &c., and now and then near the sea-shore ; preferring the most unfrequented swamps and fens where large pieces of water are perfectly surrounded by rushes and flags, particularly where forest-trees intersect the spots; or extensive swamps that border on meadows, pastures, and young corn-fields; to such spots they return year after year to breed; but in almost every country in Europe the numbers of the Grey Lag Wild Goose are becoming visibly lessened, and the spots formerly occupied by them are now found frequently deserted. ‘The present species arrive early in March in the neighbourhood of their breed- ing localities, and then the adult birds appear each with its mate: they pair for life, and seem to be much attached to each other. The nest of the Grey Lag Wild Goose is generally placed under cover of some decayed rushes, or sheltered by willow or GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. 9 osier stumps, and consists of a great quantity of dry stalks, rushes, leaves, and divers decayed vegetable remains of the former year, which are piled one upon another, care being taken that the larger are laid down first as a foundation; the whole fabric is from two to three feet in diameter, and about one foot high; the eggs vary from five to twelve or fourteen in number, according to the age of the bird, the younger ones not laying more than half the latter number. While the female sits on the eggs the male constantly watches for her safety, and very rarely deserts his post. The female is very careful in covering over the eggs, with some of the sur- rounding material, whenever she leaves the nest for a short time ; and it may serve as a sure guide to persons who go in search of the eggs, that if they are uncovered they are forsaken, and are, consequently, not worth leaving in the nest. As soon as the Goose has laid her full number of eggs, she plucks the down off her breast and belly, and disposes it in such a manner among the eggs, that they retain an equal temperature even at the changes of the weather, or during the short periods when she leaves the nest, once or twice a day. In four weeks the young come forth, which, after remaining under the mother the entire first day, are subsequently led to the water and made to swim to some small islet, where they can hide, and feed on blades of young corn, grass, or duckweed. The gander redoubles his watchfulness on the increase of his family, and hardly ever leaves the party. On the approach of danger, the parents resort immediately to the shelter of rushes, standing corn, or long grass, attended by the whole brood, but when surprised on open ground too far from shelter, the young lay themselves flat on the ground in some rut or hollow, and have even been known to be taken up in the hand and carried away; but if they are near enough to 10 ANATIDA. the water, instinct teaches them to resort to that element for protection, where by diving or swimming to the shelter of some cover, they may elude observation : on such occasions the parents fly round the imtruders, uttering their inharmonious cries. The varieties that occur among the Grey Lag Wild Goose are pied, but never entirely white; domestication is supposed to have produced the pure white specimens seen among our tame species. The food of this Goose consists in the seeds of all kinds of grain, and in vegetable matter, such as young wheat, turnips, carrots, grasses, clover, &c., and many wild plants that are sweet and tender. Barley and oats are its most favourite food, but it never consumes insects of any kind. We observed above, that in Holland this species is rare ; in consequence of which, it numbers among delicate pre- sents that are sent to Dutch merchants by their Prussian and Pomeranian correspondents, at certain seasons of the year; and we remember to have observed that they were always in fine condition, being, in fact, almost too fat to be enjoyed. The adult male of the Grey Lag Wild Goose measures nearly three feet in length; the wing from the carpus to the tip seventeen inches and a half; the beak three inches; the tarsus three inches seven lines. The colouring of the plumage is as follows: the head, nape, back part of the neck, and upper parts of the back brownish ash-colour, the latter transversely barred ; the back, scapulars, greater and lesser wing-coverts, are brownish ash- colour bordered with white; the smaller wing-feathers, the entire edge of the wing and the base of the quill-feathers are whitish ash-colour; the rump is ash-coloured ; the vent and under tail-covers, white; the beak is pale orange GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. aT flesh-colour, as well as the eyelids; the nail on the beak white horn-colour; iris deep brown; legs and feet pale flesh-red. The female is always smaller than the male, and her plumage less marked. The egg figured 227 is that of the Grey Lag Wild Goose. 12 ANATID.E. NATATORES. ANATIDE. PLATE CCXXVIII. PINK-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. ANSER SUES In June 1840 we gave a representation of this species in our quarto work on British Birds, drawn on the 29th of May of that year, from a specimen then living in the Zoological Gardens, Regents Park, where it was kept with some indi- viduals of the orange-legged species, and of which it was sup- posed to be only an accidental variety. Subsequent research, however, convinced us that the points of difference between this and the more common orange-legged bird, were too great to belong only to a variety, and at last we ascertained that this species had long since obtained a separate place in the ornithological lists of our continental neighbours, and that the species had been duly acknowledged as distinct. How this species remained so long confused with its congeners in this country is remarkable, since it has not only been met with in many parts of England in winter, but is known to breed in great numbers among the Western Islands of Scotland. Although first recognised as a distinct species abroad, it appears that the Pink-legged Goose is chiefly known as a winter visitant in the civilised parts of the continent of Europe. According to M. Temminck, it was first observed PINK-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. 13 in Holland, in the winters of 1829 and 1830, and subse- quently in 1838; at all which times they appeared in very small numbers, travelling apart from other species. M. de Lamotte d’Abbeville has kept for some years in his farm-yard, according to the statement of M. 'Temminck, three individuals of this species, in company with the grey lag goose, the orange-legged bean goose, and the white- fronted goose, but they shew no disposition to associate with any of their neighbours, forming always a separate group. The same isolated habits have been observed in the individuals of this species that have been kept in the Zoological Gardens, and in St. James’s Park. Although seldom making its appearance. in this part of Britain in a wild state, this species seems well known among the Scottish islands, being found at all times of the year in numbers, as before mentioned, among the Hebrides. In the small islands in the Sound of Harris, according to Mr. J. Macgillivray, these birds breed annually in great numbers. They appear in pairs about the middle of May, and at the end of July the young are fully fledged and strong on the wing. By the beginning of August they collect again in flocks, amounting, according to that gentle- man, to several hundreds, and remain, doubtless, in flocks until the spring again calls them to participate in the separate duties of the season. The egg of this species is considerably less in bulk than that of the grey lag goose, or the orange-legged bean goose, especially in its transverse measurement; it differs also much in colour, being white without any tinge of yellow. From various continental authors, who appear well ac- quainted with this species, we gather that the Pink-legged Geese reside during the summer months in the northern and north-eastern parts of Hurope and Asia, as well as in 14 ANATIDE. North America. In the autumn, namely, in September and October, they migrate southward, in order to pass the winter in milder climates. The countries visited at that season are France, Italy, Hungary, and Turkey; during long and cold winters it even crosses the Mediterranean to the northern provinces of A frica. The localities most frequented by these geese on their first arrival, in the month of September, are the stubble of oats, and also fields of young wheat ; among these they pass their time, visiting occasionally a pond or lake, for the purpose of drinking. They are also extremely fond of pease, beans, etc., but their partiality for oats is so predominant that, in localities where this grain is cultivated triennially, these birds abound every third year, but the two intervening seasons they do not make their appear- ance. Towards the spring these Geese become restless, flying to meadows, waste lands and heathy commons, and finally leave their winter quarters for more northern regions. Their migratory journeys are performed usually in the day, and the speed at which they sometimes fly has been noticed to amount to forty or fifty miles an hour. ‘The numbers that journey together vary from five to fifty or sixty; and when in large flocks they form a triangular figure, headed by the father of the foremost family. During the day these Geese frequent cultivated districts of divers descriptions, but resort at night invariably to open flats, or the border of a lake or river, where they stand either on the ground, or with their feet in the water. The flock roost together in one party, and their acute sense of hearing prevents the probability of their being surprised. ‘The only manner, therefore, in which a specimen can be obtained, is by lying in wait for them early in PINK-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. 15 the morning, provided the direction in which their feeding ground lies has been ascertained, and thus intercepting them on their return to it. The countries at present ascertained to be the breeding- places of this Goose are, besides the Hebrides before men- tioned, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the northern provinces of Russia, and the borders of the Baltic. In the central parts of Hurope it appears far less common than the foregoing species. The food of this bird needs no further description, except to observe, that the oats, barley, wheat, buckwheat, etc., which constitute its favourite food, are attacked in all stages, from the time of their appearance above ground until they are finally ripe and dry. But late in the spring, when, after the disappearance of snow, grain and seeds are becoming scarce, these Geese resort to swamps and bogs in order to feed on the young shoots of rushes and flags, and even draw up the very roots of these aquatic plants, biting their fleshy but strong stems with their sharp-edged beaks. The appearance of this bird when on the ground is in several respects different from the orange-legged species ; in size it is considerably less; the neck is shorter, the wings more pointed, and extending much beyond the tip of the tail, the beak is much smaller as well as differently marked, and the legs and feet differ so materially that they cannot be mistaken. The adult male of the Pink Legged Bean Goose is twenty-eight inches in length ; the wings extend when closed an inch and a half beyond the tip of the tail, and measure above seventeen inches from the carpus to the tip; the beak is an inch and three quarters long, and eleven lines high at the base. The colouring of the plumage of the adult is as follows : 16 ANATID. its head and neck are rufous-brown ; the upper part of the breast is reddish fawn-colour ; the entire mantle ash-colour, and each of the feathers of that part tipped with soiled white ; the legs and feet are flesh-colour, tinged with ver- milion; the lower part of the back greyish black, the upper tail-coverts white; the feathers of the tail are grey, bordered and tipped with white; primary quill-feathers ash-colour, the shafts white; the secondary and tertials are dusky-grey, edged with white; the sides and flanks barred with brown and greyish-white ; the rest of the under parts pure white. The beak has the basal half and nail bluish black, the intervening space vermilion ; iris dusky. The egg figured 228 is that of the Pink Legged Bean Goose. ORANGE-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. 1) NATATORES., ANATID. PLATE CCXXIX. ORANGE-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. ANSER FERUS. Tue Orange-legged Bean Goose is a winter visitant in Great Britain, and the most plentiful of all its family. We may add, that when sportsmen announce the arrival of wild geese in the fall of the year, it is most probably the present species that is spoken of. ‘The countries where these birds remain to breed are not known precisely, but may be in- ferred from the climate the Orange-legged Bean Goose prefers and the direction in which it travels. It is, however, ascer- tained with certainty that this species resides in the northern parts of Hurope and Asia during our summer months, but whether it also inhabits the northern parts of America has yet to be proved. Low and moist swamps, intersected by ditches, and the borders of inland seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds, are the favourite haunts of the present species, besides stubble and cornfields. | During the day they frequent the fieds in great flocks, where they meet with their favourite food, and change from one to another, according to circumstances. ‘Towards the latter part of the day they draw nearer to the moister spots, in order to approach the extensive flats, where they roost during the night. VOL. VI. c 18 ANATIDS. This species never roosts among long herbage, or bushes, or in the immediate neighbourhood of trees, but invariably in entirely open ground, and very frequently on barren islands in the mouths of rivers; this fact induces us to presume that the same sort of localities are resorted to for the purpose of breeding. It is not from fear that this bird avoids trees, as it has been shot more than once in the autumn by sportsmen, who were in pursuit of other game, while flying low enough over a forest to be within gun-shot. Great numbers of this species frequent the north-west coast of Norway, in the autumn, which proves that they must breed further north, from whence they arrive on their way to their winter-quarters. The Orange-legged Bean Goose may very easily be dis- tinguished from the former species, when seen on the ground, by its slender form, smaller head, and lengthened neck ; and, when flying, the tips of the wings are broader and not solong. ‘The common observer may, perhaps, not pay sufficient attention to these particulars, but an ornithologist and practised sportsman detects them very easily. When migrating, the present species flies in a double line, with a single bird for a leader, and at a great elevation, but at other times rather near the ground, particularly in windy and foggy weather. By nature these birds are shy, avoid as much as oasis the approach of men, and are at all times very watchful : they are, however, sociable among their own species, and fond of their society, and appear always ready to unite themselves to a flock of their own kindred whenever an opportunity occurs. They are very seldom observed to join a party of other geese of any description ; the only instance of this kind we are aware of is recorded of a party of young, of a late brood, which, however, kept together in the rear ORANGE-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. 19 of the alien flock, as if they only took advantage of the current of air, in order to facilitate their progress. The sounds uttered by the Orange-legged Bean Goose differ so little from those of the foregoing species, that it requires great experience to distinguish between them. When the present species is caught and pinioned, it soon becomes tame; this is not only the case with young birds, but also with birds at an adult, and even old age, that have been slightly wounded and disabled from making their escape. The fact that this species soon associates with our tame geese in the farmyard, feeds in company with them, and roosts at night in the barn or other place provided for that purpose, is very well established ; and in this it equally differs from the pink-legged and the grey lag wild goose, as neither of these can be brought to do so. This goose attains a great age, both in a state of nature, and in confinement or forced domestication. The food of the bird here described consists of ripe and unripe grain, grasses, clover, cabbage-leaves, turnips and aquatic plants, of which it consumes not only the leaves, but also the roots, and it seems not to be important whether these grow in sweet or brackish water. Of grain, they prefer oats and the young shoots of corn, or rye, in the search of which they go miles distant; this is done during the whole day, retiring in the evening to their watery haunts, for the purpose of drinking and roosting, the latter of which they very rarely do in the fields. When the snow covers the ground this species resorts to localities where certain spots have remained uncovered, and where a scanty meal may yet be found: and in the spring of the year, until their departure, the new seed on the ground, and the roots of aquatic herbage and sedges make up a sufficiency that supplies their wants ; this accounts in some 20) ANATIDE. measure for their roving about at that time, over a wider surface of ground than at any other period. In confinement, the present species feeds on the same food as our domesticated goose, and thrives upon it. The arrival of the Orange-legged Bean Goose is by far later in central Europe than that of the pink-footed, and its departure in the spring earlier, which induces us reason- ably to think that it breeds farther north than that species, but, as before mentioned, we cannot speak with certainty, although divers statements are made of its breed- ing in the lakes of Cumberland and Westmorland, Scot- land, and the western isles of the Hebrides; also on the coast of Norway, in Iceland, and even in Sweden and Den- mark. In confinement it has been known to intermix with our tame goose, and to produce a mixed breed, resem- bling the tame mother in most respects, and the father in the dark-coloured nail on the tip of the upper mandible. The Orange-legged Bean Goose measures thirty-six inches in length; the beak two inches and a half from the forehead to the tip; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, nineteen inches anda half; the tarsus three inches and a half; the tail consists of sixteen feathers; the wings, when closed, do not extend beyond the tip of the tail. The head, and upper part of the neck are greyish brown, the lower part of the neck, and the under parts are pale ash colour; the upper part of the back, scapulars, and all the wing-coverts are brownish ash, bordered with white ; the rump is brownish black; vent and under tail-coverts, pure white; the beak is black at the nail and base, and orange in the middle; eyes deep brown; eyelids dark grey; the legs and feet are orange. The female is smaller, and the young have a paler ash- coloured plumage, and two or three white spots near the beak. The egg figured 229 is that of the Orange-legged Bean Goose. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. QI NATATORES. ANATIDL: PLATE CCXXX. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. ANSER ALBIFRONS. Tue White-fronted Gcose is, like the rest of its family, a winter visitant in Great Britain, by no means uncom- mon, but still not so numerous as some others, its num- bers depending in a great measure upon the state of the winter. We shot one of these birds in the month of February, 1847, on the Thames, after having observed it for several days on a gravelly and broken bank of the river, that had remained free from snow, on account of its sheltered situation, while the entire neighbourhood was snow-clad ; this bird was one of a flock that had been observed to fly once or twice over the fields; it did not seem to be shy, as we met with it several times flying over our heads within twenty yards, and also standing about on Chertsey Mead, and in a cropped osier-bed ; this bird could not have been left behind by its flock on account of any infirmity, as it proved perfectly sound, with the exception of the wing, that we broke in firing at it, and it was besides in the best possible condition, and very excellent when roasted; we c 3 cS) Qg ANATIDE. only had occasion to regret that we could not meet with many of its companions. The geographical distribution of the White-fronted Goose is of very considerable extent; it visits us, as before men- tioned, almost every winter; it ranges in Europe from the most northern parts to France and Italy, during its different migratory journeys, and in Holland is very plentiful; it is also common in Asia and North America. In Lapland it is found in great flocks; in Greenland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, and Poland, it is common, but the main body of the species appears to be partial to the sea-coast, and the countries that are bordered by it; it ranges gene- rally about five or six miles inland, preferring salt to fresh water. The mouths of rivers and inlets by the sea-side it frequents constantly, and although stubble fields and arable lands are frequented by the White-fronted Goose, it does not exclusively pass its time there, but resorts daily to moist meadows, marshes, and the sea-coast; in this respect it stands in the list most properly between the Geese that pass their time inland, and those that exclusively inhabit the sea- coast. The White-fronted Goose is a handsome bird, in con- sequence of its white forehead, bordered by deep black, its rosy-coloured beak, and the black markings on its white breast; it walks about with ease and grace; its flight is strong, and performed in a straight line, in the same manner as some others of its family, namely, one after the other, thus forming a connected link, although they keep no order in this respect when they only move about in pursuit of their daily food. This species is rather sociable, congregating even with other kinds, as well on the ground as on the wing; they, however, do not intermix with them, but only fly about WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 23 close to them when in small parties; and on the sea-coast they also congregate in this manner with the Bernicle Goose. The call-note of the White-fronted Goose sounds very different from either of the before-described species ; it may be described in the words click, clack, or cling ! and when a flock are in an excited or angry mood, the concert is exceedingly amusing; and in consequence this species has obtained also the appellation of the Laughing Goose. The food on which the White-fronted Goose subsists is not only corn and green vegetable matter, but also marine plants and insects, the remains of which are found in its stomach, namely, beetles, and other insects, their larve, and small pebbles; the specimen we obtained, as before noticed, had most probably gone in search of insects in the gravelly spots where we observed it: several times this goose was put up near Chertsey in the very same spot, on which it flew to a similar place near Walton Bridge, and returned again and again to the former. The breeding localities of the present species are in the higher northern regions, namely, the islands of the Arctic Ocean, but we are unable to state the number of eggs, and what the materials are that form the nest. Twenty-seven inches is the entire measurement of the White-fronted Goose; the beak, which is flesh-red, with the nail white, measures two inches; the legs are orange, the webs flesh-red, and the claws whitish horn colour ; the tarsus measures three inches; the eye is dusky; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, sixteen inches in length. The forehead and chin are white, encircled by a narrow black band, which divides them from the brownish ash- colour of the head and neck; the lower part of the neck is ash-coloured white, with several black bars in uncon- a4. ANATIDE. nected patches on the breast and belly; the back, scapu- lars, wing-coverts, and flanks gull-coloured brown, all of which are bordered with reddish-brown ; quills black. The female has the white on the forehead smaller. The egg figured 230 is that of the White-fronted Goose. nee BERNICLE GOOSE. 25 NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXXXI. BERNICLE GOOSE. ANSER BERNICLA. Tue Bernicle Goose is a regular winter visitant in Great Britain, arriving in the autumn on our north-western and western shores, and on the northern shores of Ireland, in very large flocks; it occasionally frequents also the eastern coast, but only under peculiar circumstances, and in small numbers. The geographical range of this species extends over Kurope, Asia, and America. The chief numbers reside in Lapland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden, coming southward to the coast of the Baltic; also Jutland, Holstein and Hol- land, and the northern coast of France. In Asia it ranges from the most northern shores as far as Japan. In America it is very plentiful in the Hudson’s Bay and Canada, but rare in the United States, which proves plainly that the Bernicle Goose prefers the colder regions of the globe, although the severity of the Arctic zone forces it to pass the winter in milder countries. The locality in which to seek for this bird is the sea-coast, particularly where the spring tides deposit marine weeds in abundance on extensive flats. Its migratory jowneys are performed during both night and day 26 ANATIDE. in considerable flocks, and invariably along the sea-coast, skirting the land around head-lands and bays, and passing only when necessary over the open sea; the roosting-places are also the sea-coast; consequently the Bernicle Goose does not frequent inland situations. The Bernicle Googe is a very handsome bird, when seen busied in search of food, not only on account of its graceful bearing, but its marked plumage, with regular black bands across its back, on a bluish ground-colour, and the contrasted black and white of the head and breast; its movements are made with ease, and it is capable of running with great speed if required. On the water this bird swims readily, the body being so much above that element, that the knees generally keep on a level with its surface. On the wing the present species is very strong, and capable of performing various evolutions ; when migrating, the flock generally consists in pairs or families, which follow each other closely, thus forming aline. The act of alighting or taking wing is accompanied with a great deal of noise, from their well-proportioned, powerful wings. These birds are sociable among their own species, and less shy than the foregoing geese ; they will join a flock of cravat geese, or white-fronted geese, provided the number of them exceeds greatly their own, and allow the same sociability to take place among their number in the opposite cireum- stance. Its voice or call-note is simple, and somewhat lengthened ; it may be described by the word gack or cack ! it also hisses when provoked. In confinement, this bird soon becomes tame, and is a pleasing acquisition in a farm-yard collection; it lives to a considerable age, being of a hardy nature. The principal food of the Bernicle Goose consists in the leaves, shoots, and roots of vegetable matter, particularly BERNICLE GOOSE. a such as are watered by the spray of the sea, and containing particles of salt; the Poa distans, and Juncus bulbosus are among its favourites; young shoots of rye and wheat are equally devoured, but not before a scarcity of the shore plants takes place. Among the food thus consumed, it likewise devours many of the insect tribe and their larve, that swarm among seaweeds, and in soft muddy localities ; for which end the bird swims frequently in shallow water, and gropes for these substances with its head under water to glean the bottom. In confinement everything that the domesti- cated goose feeds on, suits this species, particularly green food on the meadows, and the trifolium tribe. It is a well known fact that the Bernicle Goose does very well in confinement, but heat distresses it, making it pant with open beak. For the purpose of breeding these birds assemble in large flocks in Lapland, the province of ‘Archangel, and in the bogs and morasses of the Samoiedes, and in many similar northern parts, but we can learn no particulars on this subject, neither have we ever seen an egg of this species ; our drawing of the bird was made from a living specimen in the Zoological Gardens in the Regent’s Park, where several of them were kept for some years, but they have not hitherto produced eggs, or shewn any inclination to breed. The entire length of the Bernicle Goose, is from twenty- four to twenty-six inches; its wing, from carpus to tip, about seventeen inches; there is a blunt nob or spur at the carpal joint; the beak is one inch three lines in length ; legs three inches two lines; the middle toe two inches six to seven lines; the tail, consisting of fourteen feathers, is five inches and a half in length, the outer feathers being 28 ANATID. not much shorter than the middle ones, making its shape more square than rounded. The colouring of the plumage is as follows: the forehead, sides of the head, the entire face, chin, and throat are white; the space between the beak and eye black; the top and back part of the head, the whole neck, breast, and mantle are black; the rest of the upper parts are bluish- ash, with black and white regular bars; the quills are dusky black, the tail the same; the upper tail-coverts white; the breast, belly, vent, and under tail-coverts white; the thighs are faintly barred with grey; the beak, legs, and feet are black ; the eyes brown. BRENT GOOSE. 29 NATATORES. ANATIDA PLATE CCXXXIL. BRENT GOOSE. ANSER TORQUATUS. Tue Brent Goose is a winter visitant in Great Britain, and more numerous in Ireland and Scotland than it is in England. Its appearance forebodes cold weather, particularly when large flocks are observed to be on the wing, as this species is driven from its summer haunts by the commence- ment of the northern winter; consequently a north wind brings it in the greatest numbers to our shores. The geographical distribution of this Goose extends over most of the northern countries of the old and new world. In Kurope and Asia it resides within the arctic circle, and on the borders of the icy sea; it inhabits also Spitzbergen, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Baltic, and visits Po- merania, Holland, and the northern parts of France. In America, Greenland, and the Hudson’s Bay, it is also found, as well as in Canada, and appears in small numbers in the United States. The summer months are passed in the most northern parts that have been visited by travellers, and the winter in more southern countries, for the sake of the less VOL. VI. D 30 ANATIDE. severe temperature of the atmosphere, but it is rarely seen farther south than Holland and the coast of France. The locality chosen by the Brent Goose, is generally the sea-shore and its vicinity, but we have met with it mland, where the rivers have been swollen, and the country inun- dated by heavy falls of rain, or covered with snow. Of all descriptions of wild Geese, the present species is the most regular visitant on our shores, and the mos tnumerous; as in- credibly large flocks of them sometimes cover the ground, so as to form a perfectly black field ; and the same remark holds good with respect to the surface of the sea, particularly about the mouths of large rivers or bays. In the month of November the Brent Goose arrives here from its summer retreat, remains the whole winter, and departs again in March and April. According to accounts that are given of this species, some few have been known to breed in Ireland, where their numbers exceed those that appear on our shores, but we can- not think otherwise but that such have been birds that have been partially tamed, by their pairing with individuals kept for decoys; as we cannot learn that it breeds in any of the inter- mediate countries on this side of the arctic circle. The Brent Goose is a very beautiful and elegant bird, and shews to advantage when it walks about on the ground, in consequence of its smooth and close plumage, and its well- proportioned figure, heightened by the beauty of its subdued tints of slate colour and black; its movements are graceful and easy. Among the birds that are kept in St. James’s Parkin London, there is not one that has given us more pleasure to watch, although its colouring has nothing to attract the notice of the admirers of gay apparel. The flight of the Brent Goose is quick, and performed with fully ex- tended wings, moved with regularity. These birds fly at a great elevation during their migratory journeys, in very large BRENT GOOSE. ail flocks, and either in a single or double line, being headed by one individual, in the manner of other geese ; when they only change their feeding ground, or move to a little distance, they fly low over the ground or surface of the water. When a flock of Brent Geese alight on the ground, the birds come down in a close body, and spread afterwards wider in the pursuit of their food; but the manner of their taking wing, at the time of their starting on a migratory journey, is very peculiar, for they rise at once from the ground, and mount by a spiral movement high in the air; after which they move off, and are soon out of sight. By nature the present bird is sociable towards its own species, as well as towards others of its family; it is by no means quarrelsome, but rather timid; when a single indi- vidual has wandered from its companions, it seems quite lost, and easily becomes the prey of a sportsman. Towards man the Brent Goose is less shy than any other wild Goose ; but this circumstance may be greatly attributed to the fact of their being entirely unaccustomed to the sight of human beings in the severe and uninhabited places where they are hatched and brought up ; for after their sojourn with us for a certain time, it becomes no easy matter to approach them within gun- shot. The call-note of this Goose is peculiar to itself, and where a large flock of this species flies over head, the sound that proceeds from them has by many sportsmen been compared to the ery of a pack of hounds: its description is varied, sounding like the different expressions, cwang, rolt, and crock! all ex- pressed in a hurried and harsh manner. In confinement it thrives very well, provided it is supplied with plenty of water, such as a pond or ditch, and a grassy lawn or meadow. As food for the table, this species is very good. The food of the Brent Goose in a natural state, consists 32 ANATID&. chiefly of sea-weeds that float on the surface, and marine plants that grow on the sea-shore, about the swampy and muddy grounds, that are alternately covered and uncovered by the regular ebb and flow of the tides of the sea; also of insects that are washed up and found in abundance on the weeds ; it devours also blades of young corn, and grasses of divers kinds. It has already been observed, that the Brent Goose breeds in very high northern latitudes ; very great numbers are known to rear their young on the islands and shores of the Hudson’s Bay; but by far greater multitudes go still further towards the North Pole, Spitzbergen, and the eastern borders and Isles of Greenland. In Iceland few are observed to breed. Respecting the particulars of this species at the time of breeding, the locality chosen, and the number of eggs, very little is known ; we are, nevertheless, able to figure the egg of the Brent Goose, having had a well-identified specimen in our possession, from which the drawing was made. In Russia the Brent Goose is obtained in thousands, and preserved by salting. A well known method of obtaining water-fowl, by means of which great numbers of geese and ducks are caught on our coasts, is by employing nets in the shape of flues, like those used for catching fish; the flues are set up across some favourite inlet, and behind them decoy birds are kept, and the new comers being attracted by the decoy- birds, are driven into the nets by means of trained dogs. The measurements of the adult male Brent Goose are twenty-three to twenty-four inches in length; its wing, from the carpus to the tip, fourteen inches; the bill is nineteen lines long, ten lines deep at the base, and eight lines broad ; the legs are two inches eight lines long in the tarsus; the middle toe two inches two lines. The colouring of the plumage is a dark slate-coloured BRENT GOOSE. 33 black on the upper parts, with the exception of a white spot on the sides of the neck ; the upper tail-coverts, the vent, and under tail-coverts are white; the beak and legs are black ; some of the feathers of the under parts are clouded and edged with dusky brown and grey. The female is smaller than the male, and her plumage is more rusty in colour. The egg figured 282 is that of the Brent Goose. pd 3 34 ANATIDA. NATATORES. ANATIDA. PLATE CCXXXIILI. CRAVAT GOOSE. ANSER CANADENSIS. Tne Cravat Goose is an occasional visitant in Great Bri- tain, and is said to occur from time to time in small flocks in some of our western counties. The accounts received from several navigators of the northern seas make mention of the present species as abounding in the highest northern latitudes, being met with during the breeding-season in Greenland, on the coast of Spitzbergen, and the Hudson’s Bay ; in the spring and autumn it visits Canada, and in the winter penetrates as far south as Carolina. On the continent of Europe there is no instance on record of this bird having been captured in a wild state; we may consequently suppose that we owe its occurrence in this country to some peculiar circumstances of wind and weather, that combine to send stragglers to our coast from the American continent. It is, in our opinion, no great wonder that flocks of the Cravat Goose occasionally visit our shores, this being the case with many other of the migratory species of America. The reason why such visits have not been more frequently noticed may be attributed to the want of interest taken in the subject of Natural History by the greater portion of Ny 4, CRAVAT GOOSE. 39 the more enlightened part of the community, and to the ignorance of those persons who are most likely to capture birds during the winter season. The wealthy sportsmen do not go, in general, in pursuit of birds during the most probable time of seeing them, namely, boisterous and wet weather, and the keepers or poachers frequently send their prizes to a distant market for sale, or devour them at home during times of dearth ; so that the chances of esta- blishing facts on any such subjects of interest to an ornitholo- gist are exceedingly limited. The drawing of the present species was made by us from a bird in the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, and we have had opportunities of comparing it with several other birds in collections of living specimens ; its head and neck are generally carried in the manner represented in our Plate when feed- ing, and the movement of those parts resembles that of the snake in a great degree. This bird is a very ornamental object, both on the ground and on the water, and its peculiar white gorget distinguishes it at first:sight from other geese: its walk is easy and grace- ful. wm The call-note of the Cravat Goose is much like that of the Mute Swan. Respecting the reproduction of this species in a wild state, we must rely upon the accounts obtained from American ornithologists, who say that the breeding-places are near the water, among swamps, where the female forms a nest of dry grasses, lined with feathers, plucked from her own breast; in it she lays six or seven eggs; the male does not sit, but joins the family as soon as the young are hatched, and all remain together until the next breeding- season separates them in the usual manner. The Canada Goose apparently pairs for life. 36 ANATIDA. The small flocks before mentioned as visiting us occa- sionally, are most probably families, consisting of the two old birds and their offspring: we are strengthened in this belief by the fact that, where such have been seen in a cer- tain spot, part of them frequently fly off to some little distance, while two will remain on the ground, and continue there for some time, if unmolested. The food of the Cravat Goose consists chiefly of the tops of divers kinds of herbage, and such insects, &c., as are found among the roots of aquatic plants. The flesh of the Cravat Goose is very good, and the birds are consequently welcome visitors in dreary northern countries to the inhabitants, who obtain them in great num- bers during the summer season. The dimensions of the adult bird are as follows :— The entire length three feet five or six inches; the beak two inches two lines; the tarsus three inches six lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, nineteen inches and a half. The head and neck are black, with a purple reflection ; on the front of the neck below the throat is a white gorget that almost reaches up to the nape. ‘The upper parts are cinereous brown, which colour extends over the sides and flanks, with lighter coloured tips to each feather; all the rest of the under parts are clean white; the rump, tail, and quills, are dusky black; the upper tail-coverts are white ; the eyes are brown ; the beak, legs, and feet, bluish black. The egg figured 283 is that of the Cravat Goose. KS , PU 237ae RED-BREASTED GOOSE. 37 NATATORES. ANATIDZE. PLATE CCXXXIV. RED-BREASTED GOOSE. ANSER RUFICOLLIS. Tue Red-breasted Goose is a very rare occasional visitant in Great Britain; it was noticed by Montagu and Bewick, and has occurred since in several instances, but only as soli- tary individuals, which seems to denote their being strag- glers. On the continent of Europe this bird has been observed under the same circumstances, one individual having been captured at a time in Belgium, one in France, and also single speci- mens in several different parts of the coast along the German Ocean. Temminck remarks, that the specimens thus obtained must have escaped from captivity ; but, without wishing to dispute the possibility of it, we consider it improbable that at least twenty known specimens of this kind should have so escaped, while there is no collection in Europe on record where there has ever been an individual alive, with the ex- ception of one that was captured alive in 1766, in Yorkshire, and kept for a short time during the summer months. The present species inhabits the northern parts of Asia, between the Icy sea and Siberia, about the mouths of the 38 ANATIDE. rivers Obeand Lena. In Denmark it has been met with near Ulrichsholm in Fuhnen, and near Ripen in Jutland, in small flocks of from four to six individuals. On the approach of the inclement season it migrates in larger flocks south, as far as the Caspian Sea. Respecting the habits of the Red-breasted Goose, we can- not say more than that it feeds principally on vegetable mat- ter, which seems to be verified by the good flavour of its flesh, and its entire freedom from any fishy or rancid flavour. By nature this bird is shy and circumspect; individuals have been kept with other species in Russia, where they became tolerably tame, fed on grasses and green vegetables, but refused corn, and required much water to drink; but they soon died when the weather became warm. On the swamps in the before-mentioned lccalities of northern Asia, these birds breed in great numbers, but re- specting the nest and eggs nothing has hitherto been men- tioned by northern travellers. The call-note of the present species is said to resemble the word tsjackwoy, frequently repeated when on the wing; their migrations are performed in double lines, headed by one bird. Our drawing being made from a specimen in the British Museum, we give the dimensions there obtained :—The wing measured, from the carpus to the tip, fourteen inches six lines; the tarsus two inches three lines; the middle toe and claw two inches two lines; the beak from the forehead one inch three lines. The entire length is said to be from one to two and twenty inches. The colouring of its plumage is as follows :—A black band, originating at the upper ridge of the beak, extends over the head, nape, and down the back of the neck; another of the same colour begins at the throat and reaches to the eyes, RED-BREASTED GOOSE. 39 which it surrounds ; between the beak and the eye is an oval white spot; from behind the eye, extending over the sides of the head, a white band runs parallel with the black list on the neck; on the ear-coverts is a triangular spot of rufous brown, speckled with black ; the throat and breast are chest- nut brown, beneath which runs a narrow white band; the mantle, back, rump, and quill-feathers, are black ; the shoul- der of the wing and coverts are dusky, and the feathers of the latter being tipped with paler edges, form two bars across the wing; the tail is black, tipped with white ; the lower part of the breast, belly, and flanks, are black, some of the latter feathers bordered with white ; the thighs, belly, vent, upper and under tail-coverts are white; the beak and legs are black ; the eyes dark brown. In old cabinet specimens the black plumage becomes dusky, little trace of the original tint remaining ; the legs and beak also fade. SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 4] NATATORES. ANATIDA:, PLATE CCXXXV. SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. ANSER GAMBENSIS. THE Spur-winged Goose was admitted into the list of British Birds, and figured in Bewick’s beautiful work, in consequence of a specimen that was shot near St. Germain, in Cornwall. This individual, the only one ever met with in Britain, may have been driven hither by some unusual circumstances of wind or weather; or, which is more probable, it may have escaped from some collection, like many other rare visitors. The natural abode of this bird is Africa; but re- specting its habits, no accounts have as yet been re- ceived ; we can therefore only mention the observations - we have had opportunities of making on a specimen that was for some time living in the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent’s Park. ¥ Its manner of feeding was like that of most other VOL. VI. E 42 ANATIDA. geese, namely, grazing; it also partook of other vegetable food. In its manners this bird seemed sulky and over-bearing, and towards the other water-birds, that were kept in the same compartment, it was so very spiteful that some of the inmates were obliged to be taken to other parts of the gardens ; the near approach of another species of Goose or Duck made it use its formidable weapon, the spur on the wing, with such effect, that the poor devoted object was careful to keep for the future at a distance from its persecutor. Our drawing was made from the bird alluded to, and al- though its plumage was not in very good condition, we can vouch for the correctness of its representation, as well as for the accuracy of colouring in the beak, legs, and eyes, sub- jects that cannot be relied on in cabinet specimens. The dimensions of the Spur-winged Goose are as follow :— The wing measures, from the carpus to the tip, eighteen inches, including the spur, which is seven lines: the beak, from the gape, three inches, from the forehead also three inches; from the tip of the beak to the front corner of the eye three inches nine lines ; the tarsus three inches six lines ; the middle toe three inches three lines, or including the nail, three inches nine lines; outer toe, including the nail, three inches five lines; inner toe and nail three inches, hinder toe one inch three lines; the second, third, and fourth quills of equal length, and the longest in the wing; the first and fifth seven lines shorter ; the tertials are as long as the quill- feathers. The beak and fleshy knob on the forehead and orbits are red, as also the legs and feet; the eyes are amber- coloured. The upper part of the head, neck, and sides of the breast are dusky; the chin, throat, and ear-coverts are white; the SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 43 mantle, back, wing-coverts, and tertials are deep metallic brown colour; reflected with purple and copper in different lights; the upper and outer ridge, including the spurious wing, are white, as also the greater wing-coverts, forming thereby a white band across the wing; the secondaries are rich deep green ; the quills are dusky ; the tail wood-brown ; the belly and under tail-coverts are white ; the vent dusky. The egg figured 235 is that of the Spur-winged Goose. 44 ANATIDE, NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXXVI. EGYPTIAN GOOSE. ANSER EGYPTIANIS. THe Egyptian Goose is an occasional visitant in Great Britain, and although some ornithologists consider it illegal to place it among the British Birds, we have Colonel Hawker’s authority for doing so, in consequence of the frequent occur- rence of the species in many parts of the country, under circumstances of undoubted wildness ; especially the occur- rence of a flock of nearly eighty, that visited Hampshire, of which some were shot. The geographical distribution of this species extends over the entire continent of Africa, from Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope; from thence they visit the south of Europe, principally about the Danube: they also frequent the islands of the Archipelago, and Sicily. The locality preferred by the Egyptian Goose, seems un- doubtedly the shores of inland seas, rivers, and Jakes ; from EGYPTIAN GOOSE. 45 which it wanders at times to feed upon the pasture-grounds in their vicinity ; by the sea-side it is not met with. In consequence of its ornamental plumage and productive breed, many of this species are kept in a half domesticated state in parks and pleasure grounds; we have consequently had many opportunities of observing them, when the peculiar attitudes of the bird and its colouring, frequently reminded us of ancient Heyptian figures and drawings. The food of this bird consists in herbage, barley, oats, turnips, carrots, and cabbages, on which they thrive ex- ceeding well in confinement; also the roots of aquatic plants; worms, snails, &c., are greedily sought for by the water side. In the warmer climates of Africa, this species builds its nest invariably near the water, and frequently on the edge of such springy places, as occur in the sandy, dry local- ities; the nest has also been found on the top of matted water plants, the floating of which was prevented by the long fibres that are connected with the bottom. The nest itself is made of reeds, stalks of water-plants and leaves, being lined with cotton and feathers. The birds pair for life, and are much attached to each other, and their watchfulness for their young is very remarkable. The eggs are from six to eight in number, and in size- and colour as represented in our plate. The general appearance of this Goose is peculiar, in con- sequence of its possessing longer legs than any other of its family ; its body is generally carried less horizontally, and its head more elevated ; giving altogether the appearance of more dignity than is possessed by most of the Goose tribe ; its walk resembles in some measure that of the bustards ; and is pursued with ability and tolerable speed. E 3 46 ANATIDA, On the water it swims apparently with great exertion, having its fore-parts very low in the water, and its hinder parts very much elevated; to such an extent, that when swimming its knees are invariably above that element. When the Egyptian Goose is pursued, it does not take to the water, unless as a means of crossing over to the op- posite shore, but it runs for the shelter of some bush or thicket of long herbage, which proves the fact of its being more a land than a water inhabitant. On the wing the Egyptian Goose is strong, and easily to be detected by its appearance, in consequence of its very long pinions, but it has great trouble apparently in rising from the ground ; during its migrations it flies high, and when in a flock, they form double lines, after the manner of other Geese. In its natural disposition, the Egyptian Goose appears spiteful and quarrelsome, but at the same time shy; yet when once tamed, it is apparently satisfied; it requires, nevertheless, much care and attention. Its call-note resembles most in its utterance that of the common goose, yet not without a peculiarity of its own. The dimensions of this goose are as follow :— The entire length twenty-three inches; the expanse of the wings fifty-six inches; the beak two inches; the tarsus three inches seven lines; the middle toe, including the claw, three inches three lines. The adult male has the beak red, with the nail, margins and base black ; the eyes are yellow: the legs and feet red ; the throat, forehead, and crown, are white; the nape and back of the neck, the back and tertials are ferruginous brown, finely pencilled with undulating transverse lines ; a patch surrounding the eyes, chestnut-brown ; the cheeks and sides of the head are white with a tinge of rufous; the base of the neck is surrounded by a ferruginous band ; EGYPTIAN GOOSE. 47 the upper part of the wing, including the wing coverts, white ; the smaller coverts are crossed near the tip with black, forming thereby a narrow black band; the quill-feathers are black, edged and tinged with green ; the secondaries reddish brown, with the edges chestnut; the lower part of the back, the rump and tail dusky black ; the front of the neck, the breast and forepart of the belly are buffcoloured with a patch of chestnut on the breast; the rest of the under parts are pale wood brown; the flanks are pencilled with undulating transverse lines, but these are so very fine that they in many imstances remain unnoticed by the common beholder ; the under tail-coverts are rust yellow. The plumage of the female differs in being less bright, and the chestnut coloured patch round the eyes, the mark on the breast, and the ring around the base of tke neck are smaller and not perfect; the white on the wing is less pure, and the feathers of the back, secondaries and tertials are tinged with grey, the beak and legs are flesh-red, and the eyes brownish. The egg figured 236 is that of the Egyptian Goose. 48 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATID&. PLATE CCXXXVILI. SWAN GOOSE. ANSER GUINEENSIS. THe Swan Goose having been figured by Bewick as a partly-naturalized species, we admitted it as such into our quarto edition of British Birds; consequently, having pro- mised to figure every subject that we introduced in our former work, we cannot very well omit it at present. According to the best authenticated statements, the Swan Goose was brought over to Britain from the coast of Guinea, and it has apparently thriven very well in this: country, as it may be met with in many farm-yards, on the borders of ornamental pieces of water, and even in cot- tage grounds. Its chief haunts or preferred localities are grassy mea- dows, commons, and the banks of inlets and ditches with running water, where it feeds principally on grasses and SWAN GOOSE. 49 grain; although it wanders about and roosts in the same yards and out-houses with the tame or common domestic Goose, it apparently prefers the immediate company of its own species, being most frequently seen to follow on each other's footsteps; it is, besides, more fond of straying, and on this account rather troublesome to watch over. Like all other Geese, it is very much at home on the water, but most of its time is spent on shore. Its note is much the same as that of the tame Goose, but uttered in a higher pitch, and more frequently repeated. The measurement of the present species is about three feet and a half in length; the beak, from the gape to the tip, is three inches three lines; the tarsus, four inches ; the middle toe and nail four inches; the outer toe nearly the same. The beak is generally black, including the knob, although the knob and base of the beak are in some individuals orange-yellow ; the base of the upper mandible is encircled by a white band that originates at the corner of the mouth, and reaches across the forehead to the opposite corner of the same; the legs are black; the middle and outer toes are scaled, the inner toe and legs reticulated; the top of the head is dusky brown, at the hinder part of which begins a black line, that goes down the nape and entire length of the back of the neck; the upper parts of the plumage are cirereous brown, with paler edges to the feathers; the neck and breast are buff-colour, approaching to ochrous yellow; the belly, vent, and under tail-coverts, are white; the flanks are cinereous brown, with white edges to the feathers. 50 ANATIDE. Under the chin or throat is a loose pouch, almost bare of feathers. The female is somewhat less in size, and the knob on the beak not so extended. The egg figured 237 is that of the Swan Goose. as) CREAM-COLOURED GOOSE. 51 NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXXXVIII. CREAM-COLOURED GOOSE. ANSER ALBA. Own the 11th of January, 1841, a snow-white bird, the original of the annexed Plate, was brought to us. It had just been shot on the Thames, near the village of Shep- perton, Middlesex, where we then resided. The bird had fallen on the drifting ice, the river being partly frozen over, and the young sportsman who had brought it down was obliged to walk on the ice in order to reach his prize; in making this attempt the ice broke under him, and he fell through into the river. He had the good fortune to rise again in a part of the stream that was free from ice, and eventually succeeded not only in gaining the shore, but in bringing the object of his pursuit safely with him. It was a beautiful bird, and not known by name or ap- pearance either to the person who had shot it or to our- selves: we consequently, after purchasing it, took full par- ticulars of its appearance and measurements, but being at last unable to reconcile it with any known species, we con- cluded, rather hastily, that it was a half-bred individual from some of the preserves or decoys in one of the neighbouring counties, which had been induced by the severity of the season to stray from its usual haunts. F 52 ANATIDE. Under this impression we consigned the individual to the household authorities to have it dressed for dinner, not doubting its qualifications for the table; we reserved only the head, foot, and wing for future examination. But, to our dismay, on meeting with our goose again on the table, we ascertained its total unfitness for the purpose for which we had destined it, as its flesh was so strongly tainted with a fishy and rancid flavour as to be entirely unpalat- able; so much so that it was finally rejected even by the quadrupeds of the family. We now, however, doubly regretted having destroyed a specimen, with the exception of the fragments before mentioned, of what now appeared to us an undoubtedly wild bird, and one that, as far as we could ascertain, was hitherto unknown to naturalists, or at least undescribed. The only compensation we could make to ourselves was to figure the bird in our quarto edition of British Birds, in hopes that some one of our contemporaries might be more enlightened than we ourselves were on the subject of its name and history. With the same view we again figure our Cream-coloured Goose in the present work, hoping that time will unfold its history, which we have in vain sought in the works of many ornithologists of Europe and America. The entire length, from the tip of the beak to the extremity of the tail, was two feet three inches; its weight six pounds; expanse of the wings three feet; the tail extended four inches beyond the tips of the wings; the toes, when the bird was held up, reached to the tip of the tail; the beak, from the tip to the forehead, two inches three lines, from the gape two inches nine lines, the same from the frontal corners to the tip; from the tip of the beak to front corner of the eye three inches six lines; CREAM-COLOURED GOOSE. 53 the upper mandible measured one inch in width through- out; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, eleven inches three lines; the second quill-feather the longest in the wing; the tail contained fourteen pointed feathers, the outer two inches shorter than the middle ones; the tarsus two inches three lines; the middle toe and nail two inches nine lines; outer toe two inches six lines; inner toe two inches two lines; hinder toe eleven lines. The plumage was entirely without a spot; the head, neck, and entire body delicate cream yellow; the wings and tail pure white; the throat was slightly ribbed longitudinally, like the Common Goose. A slight shade of ash colour on the nape, mantle, and sides of the throat; the legs, toes, and webs pure transparent red lead; the eyes brown; the eye- lids pale orange; the beak yellowish flesh colour at the base, redder towards the centre, and rich ruby towards the tip; the lower mandible flesh colour; the nail of both man- dibles dusky horn colour, as well as the ridge from the fore- head to near the tip, extending over the membrane of the nostrils. A knob upon the ridge of the upper mandible about one third from the tip; the nails of the toes pale flesh colour; the soles of the toes the same; the first quill-feather sinuated. 54 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXXXIX. MUTE SWAN. CYGNUS OLOR,. AxtHoueH entirely excluded from the list of British Birds by some of our historians, we consider that the Mute Swan has fully as many claims upon us as a half reclaimed, or even naturalized species, as several birds that are so included, since it lives in many of our rivers in a state ap- proaching in the nearest possible degree towards entire liberty, if it does not actually visit Britain occasionally as a voluntary migrant. This species inhabits the northern parts of Europe and Asia, preferring the climates of moderate temperature to those of extreme cold. In the southern parts of Scandinavia and Russia, about the large seas of southern Siberia it is most plentiful. Hungary, Poland, Prussia, and the Baltic are among the places of their resort on the approach of winter: the greater numbers however go to the Caspian Sea, the seas of Persia and Greece, and also to Sardinia. In all these countries some remain to breed, and in most of them the birds are not only unmolested, but under the protection of magistrates and proprietors of the soil. MUTE SWAN. 55 It is hardly requisite to state that the localities frequented by the Mute Swan are in the vicinity of water, either sea, river, or lake. During hard frost it necessarily comes to land, frequenting the meadows that border the water, or springy places that remain unaffected by the frost. The food of this bird consists of aquatic vegetable matter, roots, leaves, and grain, insects and their larve. The spawn of fish it consumes to such an extent, that where many of these beautiful creatures are kept as ornaments, the proprie- tors pay dearly for their maintenance, owing to the myriads of spawn that are consumed by them. We are quite sure that the fishery of the Thames suffers more from the depre- dations of these birds, than from all that the poachers can do by their nightly labours. The nest of the Swan, which is constructed on the ground by the water-side, or on some boggy projection or mound in the river or lake, is made of flags and rushes piled carefully one upon another. The height of this structure depends upon the taste or foresight of the birds, for both male and female work at it; and after the hen-bird has begun to sit, if there is a probability of the water rising higher than usual, the nest is raised in a very interesting manner, which we have witnessed several times; the male carries fresh supplies of flags, and the female draws them into the nest, and works them under the eggs, thus raising herself and her eggs by degrees. The eggs produced vary in number, according to the age of the parent; young birds do not exceed five or six, whereas the old ones usually lay seven or eight. ‘The time of incu- bation lasts from five to six weeks, after which the young brood come forth, and remain the first day in the nest, where the mother thoroughly dries them; the day after they follow the parents, who instruct them in swimming and feed- F 3 56 ANATIDE.. ing. The attention bestowed by the parents upon the young is incessant, and when fatigued by the strength of the stream, or requiring to be removed to a distance too great for their young capacity, the hen-bird takes the young ones on her back, which she accomplishes by lowering herself a little in the water, and occasionally assisting them to ascend with her foot, and in this manner they are carried in safety to some more desirable spot. The shape of the swan’s back, which is very flat, is well adapted for this purpose, and when her wings are raised the young ones repose in the most beautiful and safe cradle imaginable. The Mute Swan is indisputably the most elegant of water birds, when floating on its natural element; and it is, besides, the best swimmer. The beauty of its arched neck and its exquisitely white plumage, as well as its finely proportioned figure, have at all times called forth the admiration of the poet, the painter, and the lover of nature, and must attract the attention of the most common observer. On the ground, or in the act of walking, it isnot so much to be admired ; its walk is helpless and waddling, Its flight is performed in a straight line, at the elevation of three or four hundred feet from the ground, when in a wild state; while those that are partly domesticated, rarely fly more than twenty feet from the ground. Swans, like many others of the feathered race, appear very susceptible of atmospheric changes, and are usually consi- dered to shew their consciousness of approaching storms by their restlessness; we have ourselves many times seen their anticipations verified by the result. The foresight of the Mute Swan, also, on the subject of the floods, to which this and other parts of the Thames are periodically subject, is very remarkable ; and so well known, that, when in the spring the Swans are seen raising their nests MUTE SWAN. 57 an increase in the height of the water above the usual average is a safe prophecy. In a wild state the Mute Swan is said to be very shy, although the domesticated subjects are generally tame enough, and sometimes troublesome to fishermen and persons whose occupations are by the water side. At some seasons, how- ever, they are formidable, on account of their strength and. pugnacity ; we know an instance of a Mute Swan, which was kept on a piece of water in a park, attacking a man with such fury as to break his arm with a blow from his powerful wing: and we lately witnessed a swan face a spaniel dog with such determination, as to drive the animal from the spot. The call-note of the Mute Swan sounds like the word maul, maul! expressed in a nasal, but gentle tone. The sound produced by the strong pinions of this bird when flying is very loud, and may be heard at a great distance. Although apparently naturalized in some parts of Britain, namely on the river Trent and elsewhere, where they are said not to be under the dominion of any master, the Mute Swan does not appear to be on the Thames so entirely inde- pendent, since it is considered expedient in severe winters to house and feed these creatures, under the impression that when there is much ice in the river they are unable to obtain their food. Under these circumstances, when many are collected together in a barn, it is very interesting to observe, at feeding time, with what solicitude each male watches for the interest of his own mate and young ones, and takes care that they are well served before he partakes of any food himself. While watching Swans feeding as they float along by the banks of the river, we have noticed that they seem unable to swallow the grass and herbs that they crop along the 58 ANATIDE. margin, until they have saturated them with water, since ‘they are invariably seen, as soon as they have filled their bills with grasses, to dip their beaks into the stream. We believe that Swans are not so destructive among fish as they are among their spawn, since their movements are too measured and deliberate to enable them to secure such active prey, although their relish for fish may be observed and proved whenever a fisherman casts the small dead bait from his boat’s well. The entire length of the Mute Swan is from four feet eight inches to five feet ; its weight about thirty pounds. The entire plumage is white; the head and neck more or less tinged with rust-colour, more so in the spring of the year than at other times; the nail on the beak, the edges of the mandibles, the base, and the edge of the nostril, as well as the lore to the eyes and tubercle are jet black; the beak itself yellowish red ; the legs and toes black; the eyes dark brown. The egg figured 259 is that of the Mute Swan. WHISTLING SWAN. 59 NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXL. WHISTLING SWAN. CYGNUS FERUS. Tue Whistling Swan, or Hooper, is a frequent winter visitor in many parts of Great Britain, and in seasons of great severity occurs in very considerable numbers. It is not only met with in the northern parts of Britain, but oc- casionally extends to the most southern counties, spreading along the coast and rivers. Their arrival in England takes place early in the autumn, and although preferring the sea-coast, they are, in stormy weather, seen a considerable distance inland. In October of the present year, 1848, many were killed about Gravesend ; and in our own neighbourhood, twenty miles above London, several were seen flying about the low lands by the river Thames, during the autumnal flood, driven inland doubtless by the heavy gales that prevailed at times at that season. The geographical distribution of this species extends over Europe, Asia, and America, the summer months being passed in the northern, and the winter in more southern coun- tries. The Whistling Swan, or Hooper, does not go so far north as some of the Anatide, as it seldom extends much 60 ANATIDE. beyond the Arctic circle. In Europe it abounds chiefly in Sweden, Lapland, and Russia: in Asia it is found in Siberia and Kamschatka, and in Hudson’s Bay in America. On the approach of cold and inclement weather it migrates southward, through Canada and the United States as far as the Gulf of Mexico; in Asia it descends as far as Japan, China, Persia, Syria, and Egypt: at that time of the year it is very numerous in the vicinity of the Caspian Sea and the mouth of the Wolga; also on the Black Sea, from whence it wanders to Turkey, Greece, Hungary, and Italy. The numbers that pass on the approach of winter through the central parts of Russia and the Baltic, wander to the southern parts of Sweden and Denmark, and from thence visit our shores, as well as Prussia, Poland, and Holland in moderate numbers, and pursuing the sea-coast make their appearance occasionally on the coast of France. Some in- stances are also on record of its appearance inland, namely in divers parts of Germany, particularly Westphalia, the Rhenish provinces, Saxony, Dessau, Worlitz, and others. The greater numbers pass the winter on the sea, close in shore, in bays and sheltered situations, and are seldom seen inland, but when the weather becomes boisterous and stormy, small parties are, however, met with on the swamps and inundated lands that border large rivers, while the larger flocks remain on the sea and coast in the same latitudes. The autumnal migration takes place in general in October, and in April the spring migrations commence towards the north and north-east. The migratory journeys of this species are chiefly performed during the day, either in large flocks, consisting of hundreds, in families or pairs. When united in flocks the birds fly in a single line, which becomes of very considerable length, where there are many together. Although the Whistling Swan is met with in large numbers WHISTLING SWAN. 61 on the sea, in our climates, it rarely goes any distance from the shore, as it requires shallow water, where the bottom is well supplied with weeds within the reach of its long neck; swampy shores and flooded grassy meadows seem to suit its habits to a great degree. In its summer locality it is said also to frequent swamps of all kinds in the most secluded situations. The general appearance of the present species is not so graceful as that of our tame swan; it usually carries its neck almost straight, and may thus very easily be distin- guished from its congener by a sportsman, or person who is acquainted with both species; on a near approach the yellow beak is so conspicuous as to serve as a good. mark of distinction; the proportions of this bird are also less elegant than those of the mute swan. The movements of the present species, when on the ground, are very expert, it walks with ease, and can run very rapidly, which many a sportsman must acknowledge, from the fact that it requires a good pair of legs to overtake a Whistling Swan that has been winged. In the exercise of swimming the Whistling Swan is not much more expert than the common goose, and this may be attributed to its more frequently employing itself in wading among swamps, than in floating on the liquid element. ‘The flight of the Whistling Swan resembles that of our tame swan in most respects, but in consequence of its greater practice, it flies apparently with more ease and with less noise; yet on taking wing, or alighting, it makes a considerable noise, and may be heard at a great distance. Like most birds in a wild state, the present species is shy, yet not remarkably so, as we have frequently seen them walk about on Chertsey Mead, in Surrey, during flood-time, in open day, and almost within gun-shot, without taking notice 62 ANATIDE. of our approach ; and while flying over the surface of the water, following the course of the river, they have frequently been shot by persons who are constantly on the look-out for wild-fowl. On one occasion last winter (1847), while in pursuit of some wild ducks, it being a dark night, six or seven of these birds allowed us to come quite close to them, while they were feeding in a pool of water in the mead, but owing to the ground being partly covered with snow, we did not see them in time to fire. We have also seen them occasionally on the wing by daylight, flying low enough to shoot with a common gun. ‘These facts prove to us that the bird is not too shy to be ee within gunshot, under most circumstances. Why this species is called the Whistling Swan is not exactly apparent to us, as we have never heard it whistle. The appellation of Hooper is nearer to the sound produced by its call-note, and the noise of its pinions. Another of its notes resembles the word kzllclee uttered in a high pitch, also hang, hang, more mildly expressed. The sound produced by its pinions while flying, resembles the words grou, grou ! It may be supposed that the combined noises proceeding from a flock of these birds may produce a perfect concert, in con- sequence of the different modulations of tone in age and sex. The present species, when obtained at an early age, be- comes soon tame, and may be kept for a length of time in confinement, or half domestication ; in fact, greater numbers of the Whistling Swan are kept on ornamental pieces of water in Russia than of the mute swan; they are by far more good-tempered and more attached to their keepers. The food of this bird consists of green vegetable matter, grain, and fruits ; also insects and their larvee, and worms of most kinds, as well as small frogs, and the small fry of fishes. WHISTLING SWAN. 63 The manner of feeding in this species is peculiar; it not only seeks for its food by preference in shallow water, but it turns up the boggy ground in order to obtain roots and worms ; to such an extent is this done, that where a number of these birds congregate, the ground is perfectly broken up. The grain before-named consists of barley and oats, and the fruit, plums in particular; it is therefore to be supposed that it feeds also on berries, in its northern local- ities. The countries mentioned, in which the Whistling Swan chiefly breeds, are Finland, Siberia, Iceland, and Hudson’s Bay; as well as Sweden, Denmark, and some of our northern islands, including Orkney and Shetland. The places chosen are bogs and swamps. About the middle of March the preparations for breeding commence, when young birds choose their mates for life; soon after the nests are constructed, which very much resemble those of the mute swan, but are invariably placed on the ground in spots where man cannot obtain footing; each pair keeps its chosen ground free from intruders, while frequently terrible battles ensue. The number of eggs varies from five to seven. The eggs are about the same size as those of the mute swan, but more blunt at the ends, smoother in texture, and of a paler green colour. The entire length of the Whistling Swan amounts to four feet six, or four feet ten inches. The wing from the carpal joint to the tip, twenty-four inches and a half; weight twenty-five pounds. The entire plumage is white; the tip of the beak and edges black; the rest of the beak, lore around the eyes, and the fleshy part of the under mandible, gold yellow; the eyes brown ; the legs and feet are greyish-black. VOL. VI. G 64 ANATIDA. NATATORES. ANATID&. PLATE CCXLI. BEWICK’S SWAN. CYGNUS BEWICKII. Bewick’s Swan, which has of late years been recognised by Mr. Yarrell as differing, not only in size, but also in many other respects from the hooper, or whistling swan, is a winter visitant to Great Britain, more numerous in Ireland than England ; it appears, however, to visit Britain princi- pally during the most severe winters. The greater attention that has of late years been paid to the subject of ornithology, has apparently opened the eyes of sportsmen wider, or the prices that are paid for new species, have made persons generally more careful in examining what they obtain. To these causes we probably owe the tardy justice, at last done to several species formerly unrecognized. Bewick himself, with whose name this species is now, out of compliment, allied, must have been acquainted with this bird, since he has given a representation of its head as a vignette to his “Elk or Hooper” (synonymous with our whistling swan), although his acquaintance with this species appears not to have been sufficient to enable him to distinguish it from its congener. In this vignette the black portion of the tip of the beak extends beyond, and surrounds the- orifice of the BEWICK'S SWAN. 65 nostril, which is not the case with the hooper; in that bird the nostril itself is the line of demarcation between the black and yellow portions; the one colour occupying the lower, the other the upper side. We have also noticed authors to speak of the great diversity in the weight of the hooper, even among those killed from the same party, which induces us to believe that the hoopers and the Bewick’s Swan associate occasionally in the same flock. The present species is probably an inhabitant of the north-eastern parts of Europe and Asia, and the islands of the Arctic Ocean; it is said to be plentifully distributed over Siberia, and in North America equally so. We have reason to believe that this is the swan that inhabits Iceland, where there is only one species known. It there frequents the bogs and swamps on the borders of lakes in the most unfrequented mountainous parts of that island, during the summer; from whence it migrates south- ward, to pass the winter in the vicinity of the warm springs, and during very severe weather it extends its journey still farther towards the south. ‘The autumnal migration com- mences in October, and the return in the spring in the month of March, the birds arriving already paired at their breeding-places early in April; these Journeys are performed during both night and day. When the present species alights on a large pond or lake, it almost immediately seeks the shore, in order to wade among the boggy, shallow parts, where it is enabled to reach the bottom with its beak, in order to obtain its food. ‘This principally consists in roots, stalks and leaves of aquatic plants, the larvee of insects, and worms. It appears that the manner of breeding in this species differs in no way from that of others of its family, for in 66 ANATIDA. Iceland, where these swans breed, it is said that many pairs congregate in one spot, although each pair keep their im- mediate space to themselves, without allowing their neigh- bours to interfere. The nests are composed of boughs of the northern willow, rushes, and leaves of divers flags, &c., piled one upon another, without much labour being bestowed in weaving them together; the eggs are usually from five to seven in number ; but we forbear to figure one until we have obtained a specimen that we can sufficiently rely upon. The entire length of Bewick’s Swan is three feet nine inches; the beak to the forehead, three inches six lines; to the eyes four inches four and a-half lines; the middle toe, five inches three lines; the wing twenty inches six lines from the carpus to the tip. The entire plumage white; the colours of the beak are black and orange yellow, the former occupying the tip, and extending beyond the nostrils, as before-mentioned, and cover- ing the ridge of the mandibles, including also the fleshy part of the under mandible; the base and lore orange yel- low; the legs and feet dull black; the eyes dark chestnut. BLACK SWAN. 67 NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXLII. BLACK SWAN. CYGNUS ATRATUS. We are induced to figure the present species, in conse- quence of a specimen of this bird having been brought to us very recently, that was killed very near to our residence. We do not presume to say that the bird was perfectly wild, but the circumstances attending its capture were rather pecu- liar, and may possibly lead to the consideration, whether this species has extended itself over countries from whence it might have come to our shores; as it is very improbable that it should, under any circumstances, have travelled of its own accord so great a distance as from New South Wales, which is usually considered as its native place, according to all ac- counts given of the subject. ‘The particulars of its capture are as follow :— On the fourteenth of November last, a person of the name of Taylor shot a Black Swan on the Thames near Chertsey, under the following circumstances. On the Sunday morning previous, a gentleman stood talking with Mr. Phil- lips, a person who attends upon Chertsey Lock, when ten Black Swans came flying across the Thames, quite near enough to be recognised as such by both parties; a little e3 68 ANATIDE. later in the day the bargeman of a barge that was coming from Staines, inquired of Mr. Phillips, if he had seen ten large Black Geese fly over; and on the Monday one was seen again between Staines and Laleham, swimming in a wide part of the river. On Tuesday the fourteenth of No- vember, Mr. Phillips, on seeing one of these birds settle on the river, went to tell Taylor that he might have a shot; and consequently, the person in question, after creeping on hands and knees across the muddy mead and through a bed of osiers, came near enough to the bird, and killed it. We purchased the prize for the purpose of figuring it in our work, particularly as we were on the point of bringing out that family in our succeeding numbers; and the bird is now in our possession. In the course of the same week, travelling to town by the South Western Railway, we met a gentleman, who told us that two Black Swans had been killed by a poor man in the neighbourhood of Gravesend on the Thursday previous, and that they were sold in Gravesend market at the same time with several hoopers. The bird in our possession is a young male; its flesh was brown, tender, and palatable. The measurements from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail, four feet; expanse of the wings five feet six inches ; its weight nine pounds. The beak measured from the tip to the gape, two inches and three-quarters; from the tip to the front corner of the eye, three inches five-eighths ; depth of the beak at its base, one inch and a quarter; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, eighteen inches and a half; the quills extend one inch and a half beyond the tertials; the tail one inch and a half beyond the tips of the wings; from the tip of the beak to the junction of the neck and back-bone, BLACK SWAN. 69 twenty-three inches; the tarsus four inches; hind toe and claw one inch; middle toe five inches and a quarter. The toes are scaled up to the last joint, reticulated beyond; legs also reticulated. The first and fourth quills of the wing, of equal length, the second the longest in the wing. The primary quills white, except about an inch of the tips which are black; spurious wing black; secondaries white, with two inches of blackish-grey at the tips; greater coverts white at the base; rest of the wing sooty black, tipped with sepia. The head and neck black, with sepia tips to the feathers. The beak orange; the tip flesh-colour; nail whitish horn- colour ; a white band across the beak near the nail. The eyes are rufous brown; the legs dark ash-grey, tinged with olive on the webs. On displacing the feathers of this bird in any part, new, small, jet-black feathers, still in the quills, may be found im- bedded in the thick white down. In a subsequent number we intend to give a representation of the trachea and breast-bone. 710 ANATID&. NATATORES. ANATID.- PLATE CCXLITI. RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. TADORNA RUTILA. Tue Ruddy Shieldrake is an occasional visitant in Great Britain, occurring during very severe winters, but rarely at any other time ; the reason appears, not that it only wanders dur- ing such extraordinary weather, but that it is driven from its usual migratory roads towards our shores, under circumstances of unusual combination. This bird being not a maritime spe- cies, is a sufficient reason for its rare occurrence with us, as we shall hereafter more fully enter upon. The geographical distribution of this species extends over many parts of the Old World; it is found in the eastern part of Europe, such as Russia, Hungary, Austria, Turkey, Greece, and parts of Italy. It is also pretty generally spread over Asia, being met with in Persia and India. In Africa it extends as far as the Cape of Good Hope. The chosen localities are rivers, lakes, and large ponds, which it prefers to seas or small pieces of water; in water that is covered with rushes or tall weeds, it never remains by choice, in consequence of its exceedingly shy nature. The food of the Ruddy Shieldrake consists in aquatic RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. V1 plants, insects and their larvee, worms, and small fry of fish , the latter it devours in such profusion that its flesh is not fit for the table of a civilized Kuropean stomach. The migrations of this species are performed in families of eight or ten in the month of September, and in pairs in April ; these bird fly like others of their family, one behind the other. They are very sociable among their own species, but rarely seen in the company of other ducks. The pair are very much attached to each other, to such a degree, that if one of them has been shot, the other will not leave the spot until it is driven away by two or three shots being fired at it. The general appearance of the Ruddy Shieldrake is more like the Goose than the Duck tribe when it is on the ground. It walks in pursuit of its food generally with its head inclined towards the ground, at the same time apparently looking watch- fully about for fear of hidden or approaching danger ; its movements are easy withal, and it can run at a tolerable rate. Its extremely shy nature induces the bird to keep as far as practicable from the shore, if the locality is a large pond, lake, or river: it is also very wild, restless, and roving, there- fore very difficult to tame, although some are kept in mena- geries in the south of Europe, for their handsome and bright plumage. The call-note, when the bird is on the wing, is said to re- semble the note of a clarionet; when on the ground that of the peacock; and when they have a young brood it is like the call of the common hen. The reproduction of this species has never been known to occur in the western parts of Europe, either in a wild state or in confinement, but it breeds on the banks of the Wolga, the rivers of the Ural mountains, and in the in- terior of Asia. Very early in the spring the birds are paired, and when 72 ANATID.E. flying about the female invariably leads the way, being closely followed by the male. The nests are placed in the holes and fissures of the rocky banks of the rivers, in the forsaken holes of foxes and other quadrupeds, in hollow trees or burrows of their own contrivance. ‘The construction of the nest is a loose fabric of all sorts of stalks and sticks, and is lined with the down supplied from the female’s own feathering, The eggs are from eight to ten in number, and white in colour, very highly polished, and resemble those of the shieldrake very much in shape and size. As soon as the young are hatched and dry, the parent carries them one by one in her beak to the water’s edge, where she watches over them to the endangering of her own life. The flavour of the birds and eggs is so extremely fishy, that few persons can endure them; the eggs in particular are said to be a great deal worse than the eggs of the sea- gull. The Tartars insist upon their being poisonous. The entire length of the male bird is two feet three to four inches ; the females somewhat less. The plumage of the male bird is as follows: the head and neck are greyish-white ; the top of the head and cheeks are tinged with rust-colour, the sides of the neck more rufous, which colour increases in intensity down to the base of the neck, where it is bounded by a black band with metallic green reflections, narrow in front and broader at the sides; the chest, or crop is copper-coloured; the breast, belly and vent, back, and all the upper parts rust-red, with exception of the tips of the long tertials, which are pale yellow; the lower part of the back, upper tail-coverts, and tail black, with reflections of green; lesser and mid- dle wing-coverts white; the secondary quills green, with purple reflections ; quills black; the legs are reddish-grey ; RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 73 the eyes are bright yellow; the eyelids white; the beak slate-colour ; some of the back feathers are pencilled with undulating lines of slate colour. The female has not any of the black ring around the neck, and her plumage is less bright. The young has the eye brownish-yellow. oO SHIELDRAKE. UD) NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXLIV. SHIELDRAKE. ANAS TADORNA. Tue Shieldrake is indigenous in Great Britain, and found on many of its sandy shores, such as the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk, of Northumberland, Dorsetshire, and Hamp- shire. It is also found on the shores of Scotland and Ireland in favourable situations, as well as on those of the Orkney and Shetland Isles. In most of these parts the Shieldrakes are permanent residents, but their numbers are augmented in the autumn to a great extent, by numerous migratory bands that arrive from the north to pass the winter with us. This species is more an inhabitant of the moderate climates than of the rigid; in Europe, it inhabits, during the summer months, the shores of the southern half of Sweden, but is rarely found in Norway. In the southern parts of Asiatic Russia this species is plentiful, particularly on the borders of the Black, the Caspian, and other seas; it is also found east- ward from thence, as far as Kamtschatka; and retires in winter to Persia, Tartary, China, and Japan. From the mouth of the Elbe it spreads over the entire western coast of Germany, Holland, and France; and during the winter VOL. VI. H 76 ANATIDE. months, it visits the coast of Spain, and the borders of the Mediterranean. The flat sandy shores of the sea seem to be the localities preferred by the Shieldrake throughout the year; it is also found on extensive muddy shallows that are alternately covered during high water , and exposed by the receding waves, and bounded by sandy downs and swampy meadows, where nothing grows taller than weeds or rushes; and where there is consequently little call for the presence of mankind. The Shieldrake is undoubtedly one of the handsomest of the duck tribe, particularly where a number of them are seen congregated together; its plumage is very peculiarly defined and brightly coloured; it runs on the ground with more ease and in a less ungainly manner than our tame duck ; its position when on the ground being generally that which we have given in our plate; and the habit of carrying its neck in an elegant sweep, contributes also to its handsome appearance. The flight of the Shieldrake is strong and quick, and performed in a straight line-without evolutions of any kind. Although nothing can be said against the swimming faculties of the Shieldrake, it is an established fact that this bird passes much more of its time on land than on the liquid element. The food of the Shieldrake, which it is all day in search of, consists of small fish and their spawn, worms, small crustacea, and marine vegetable productions ; to which are added the seeds of grasses, and corn when it can easily be obtained. In confinement this species greedily consumes corn, and vegetables of all kinds, and apparently thrives very well upon them. The breeding-places chosen by this bird are the sandy downs that gird the sea-coast, particularly where rabbits SHIELDRAKE. aay abound; and in such localities it either searches for some deserted burrow, or scratches a hole in the sand for placing its nest in; some writers have stated that the Shieldrake not only drives rabbits, but also foxes from their holes, in order to obtain possession of a ready made burrow, in preference to the labour of making one for itself. Whether this extraordinary assertion may be relied on or not, it is very certain that this duck puts up with many an inconvenience in order to be excused the trouble of burrow- ing, and this has induced persons who reside near the breeding localities of these birds to make artificial burrows, to induce them to lay their eggs in, and thus the eggs are obtained day after day as soon as they are laid. These artificial burrows are made a couple of feet deep, by seven or eight inches wide, and branch out in eight or ten direc- tions with a hole of twelve inches in diameter at the extreme end of each; the holes or nesting-places are covered over with turf, thus enabling the proprietor to lift the covering daily off, and to take his prizes. The flesh of the Shieldrake is coarse and unfit for food, but the eggs may be used like those of other ducks. The eggs vary in number from seven to fourteen, and are in form and colour as represented in our plate. After about six-and-twenty days the young ducks come forth, and leave the nest as soon as they are dry, following the mother to the water, where they chiefly reside until fully fledged: when danger approaches they immediately conceal themselves, and the parents fly away, leaving the young to take care of themselves. The Shieldrake measures nearly two feet in length; the beak is two inches from the forehead to the tip; the tarsus one inch eleven lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, twelve inches and a quarter. 78 ANATIDA. The plumage of the adult male is as follows :—The head and upper part of the neck black, with a gloss of green; the lower part of the neck, the back, wing-coverts, flanks, rump, and basal part of the tail-feathers pure white; across the breast is a broad band of orange-brown, which extends around and meets on the back at the root of the neck. The sca- pulars and tips of the tail-feathers are black, as also the outer edges of the long tertials; the specimen is glossed with green; the edges of three or four of the secondaries are chestnut; the vent gamboge-yellow; a dusky black line runs from the breast to the vent, extending somewhat in width as it reaches the thighs; the eyes are dark brown, the beak, which has a knob on its upper surface near the forehead, is crimson; the legs and feet flesh-coloured. The adult female resembles the male in most respects, but is without the knob on the beak, and the orange-brown band below the neck is not so broad. The young bird differs very considerably from the adult ; its beak is Indian red, the legs and feet grey, shaded with reddish-horn colour; the forehead, space between the beak and eyes, chin, throat, and all the under parts white, the thighs and flanks tinged with wood-brown, and with cinereous centres to the feathers; the eyes sur- rounded with white ; the upper part of the head, the cheeks, nape, and back part of the neck dusky; the upper part of the back wood-brown, the larger feathers edged and tipped with white; the tertials the same, the edges of the secon- daries above the green speculum are chestnut, with white tips; the wing-coverts white, with pearl-grey edges; the quill-feathers black, as also the tips of the four middle tail- feathers. The egg figured 244 is that of the Shieldrake. SHOVELLER. 79 NATATORES. ANATIDA. PLATE CCXLYV. SHOVELLER. ANAS CLYPEATA. Tue Shoveller is indigenous in Great Britain, but not a very numerous species, and is usually seen only in families or pairs; it has by some ornithologists been considered a winter visitant only in this country. The geographical distribution of this bird extends over Europe, Asia, and America; it does not inhabit Iceland, as it is rather a tender species, but passes the summer months in the south of Norway and Sweden, in the warmer parts of Asiatic Russia, and the lower provinces of Canada and the United States; and inhabits throughout the year, Britain, Holland, Prussia, Poland, and Denmark. On the approach of winter, many migrate to the south of Europe; in Asia they extend as far as Japan and the Hast Indies, and in America as far as Mexico. In the beginning of October, this species departs for the south, and in March and April it returns again to its breed- ing-places. The chief locality frequented by the Shoveller, is wet boggy ground, or the soft muddy shores of inland lakes, rivers, H 3 80 ANATIDA. and ponds, and fenny districts, and very rarely the sea-coast Uncultivated boggy wastes, whether surrounded by trees, or bushes, or entirely open, where the ground is intersected by ponds and ditches, and the water well covered and supplied with weeds and rushes, it is very partial to; it seldom swims about of its own accord in open streams, rivers, or lakes, and if danger induces it to escape by doing so, it very soon re- gains the shore again on the first opportunity to reeommence its search for food. The day is generally passed by this species about the more extensive waters, and towards the dusk of the evening, like most other ducks, it wanders about in search of the smaller, and remains there throughout the night until the dawn of morning. The food of the Shoveller consists in small worms, aqua- tic insects, fish and frog spawn, tadpoles and small frogs, freshwater snails, and the tender shoots of aquatic plants, grasses, buds, and seeds of rushes and sometimes grain ; small stones are at all times found in itsstomach. The Shovel- ler is very frequently seen to swim about the divers water- plants that lie on the surface of the water in all directions, opening and shutting its beak with incredible quickness, in order to catch its food from among the weeds, letting the water out through the lamine of its beautifully adapted beak. Where the bottom is within reach of the bird’s neck, the Shoveller often swims head downwards, but it does not dive for food at any time. In confinement, the food of this species consists greatly in barley, oats, and bread, but unless it has a pond with duck- weed at its disposal, it does not thrive. The Shoveller is very easily distinguished from other ducks by its broad speon-shaped beak, and its plumage is so very distinct and peculiar that it cannot be mistaken for any other species. Inits nature this bird is not very shy, and when SHOVELLER. Sl on the wing it might almost be called careless, inasmuch as it does not avoid trees, bushes, or even walls and human habita- tions, but continues its course without deviation. We can speak from experience on this subject, having fired twice at one of this species when at a long distance, and still it flew straight towards a sportsman within sight, and became finally his prey; its flight is buoyant and well sustained, but it is not quick ; its walk is tolerably easy, but not much put in prac- tice, as swimming is more in accordance with its nature and habits. The Shoveller breeds on the borders of rivers and lakes, or the central parts of marshes; the nest is placed among the grasses and weeds like that of other ducks; the eggs are generally from seven to ten or twelve in number, which are hatched in three weeks; the young leave the nest as soon as they are dry, and follow the parent bird on the water. The measurements of the Shoveller, taken from an adult male are as follows:—entire length twenty inches, the beak, two inches eight lines; the tarsus one inch five lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, nine inches. The adult male is feathered as follows, the head and upper part of the neck are black with green and purple reflections ; the lower part of the neck, breast, and scapulars are white ; the belly, vent, and flanks brownish red; the back and primaries dusky brown; the lesser wing-coverts are pale cobalt blue ; the greater wing-coverts are tipped with white, forming thereby a white bar across the wing ; the speculum is very rich, bright green ; the rump and the upper and under tail-coverts are brown, glossed with dark blackish bronze; the sides of the rump are white, the tail is dusky brown, edged with white, the outer feather entirely white; the beak is black, the legs yellowish orange, darkest on the webs; the eyes yellow. $2 ANATIDE. The female differs very much from the male, having the head pale reddish brown with dusky shaft streaks, all the upper parts are dusky brown, with rufous white edgings to the feathers; the under parts are rufous, with dusky brown spots ; the lesser wing-coverts tinged with pale cobalt blue ; the speculum green. The egg figured 245 is that of the Shoveller. P | yr NN vom y : } DBD» Sy —s Nitti Neds GADWALL. 83 NATATORES. ANATIDEE PLATE CCXLVI. GADWALL. ANAS STREPERA. THE Gadwali is an occasional winter visitant with us, but not of frequent occurrence, and chiefly seen during its autumnal and spring migrations. Its numbers are principally distri- buted over the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America. In Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark it is rare, but in Holland, and the eastern parts of Germany, numerous. Like the foregoing species, it is more an inhabitant of inland waters, than of the sea-coast, and in consequence of its pre- ferring temperate climates to cold, it leaves, in September and October, its summer habitations for more southern countries, such as the south of France, Spain, and the borders of the Mediterranean, and crosses also over to Africa ; in China and Japan it is every year to be met with. By the months of March and April it is on its return northward again, and at that time it may be frequently seen to travel in pretty large numbers. On account of the principal migrations taking place during the night, this species is more fréquently heard than seen, and they also fly very high. The localities preferred by the Gadwall are inland lakes and rivers, large boggy flats, and large ponds that are well- covered with reeds, osiers, and long herbage. 86 ANATID. The plumage after the summer moult is rather lighter about the head; the entire plumage brown, with dusky centres to the feathers; the under tail-coverts and vent white; the wing-coverts cinereous brown ; the speculum dirty white ; the quills dusky, lightest at the basal part of the feathers ; the beak dusky, with orange about the base; legs and feet are less bright than in the spring. The female has the head more dusky; the breast and sides brown, with dusky spots on the feathers ; the throat is white ; the back is dusky, with plainly defined rusty yellow borders to the feathers; about the flanks the dusky centres of the feathers become smaller and smaller, and give finally place to entire white. The wing-coverts are brownish-ash colour; the speculum is dirty white. The egg of the Gadwall is figured 241. th aN vitae 4 ty Wy ae r ) Fivly It) MALLARD, OR WILD DUCK 87 NATATORES. ANATIDZ. PLATE CCXLVII. MALLARD, OR WILD DUCK. ANAS BOSCHAS. Tue Mallard or Wild Duck is a well-known British bird, indigenous in many parts of the country, but receiving a vast accession to its numbers on the approach of winter, at which season they are driven southward by the inclemency of the weather, from those more northern countries in which their numbers are chiefly multiplied. In consequence of the increase of cultivation in Great Britain, the numbers of this species that remain to breed, are very much reduced, and the profit arising from the decoys in which they were formerly taken in great abundance, must necessarily be much diminished. The geographical distribution of the present species is far and wide, beginning at the polar circle, and extending over all countries, to the equator, and its numbers are more abundant than those of any other duck. In the most northern countries the Mallard is a migratory species, in the temperate climes indigenous, and in the southern a winter visitant. Many remain in our latitudes to breed, and only leave the spots they inhabit, when the frost closes the waters VOL. VI. I 88 ANATIDE. partially, and even then, some numbers remain about springy places where the water is still unaffected by the frost. The time of migration from the north begins in October and continues throughout November; during this time the flocks that pass over are immense, both with respect to num- ber and extent; these migrations are chiefly performed during the night, but at times when circumstances hurry them on, they continue the same during the day. The man- ner in which they fly is in the form of a slanting line, as if broken in its centre. When the journeys are to short dis- tances, they are performed in small parties, following the course of the water or of low wet grounds, and they sometimes fly in a confused mass low over the ground. In the morning early, and late in the evening during the winter months, the numerous flocks that remain about a favourite part of the coun- try, namely wet and low meadows that are frequently inun- dated, afford great sport to persons that lie in wait for them, and although it requires much perseverance, very warm clothing, water-tight boots or shoes, and patience, it is not only amusing, but interesting to watch the approach of those birds in the dark; first of all one hears the noise of the wings at a considerable distance, next comes the cackling as they approach nearer in the gloomy twilight, and then the sud- den appearance and as sudden disappearance of the flock as they rapidly pass over the sportsman. In order to enjoy this the sportsman must place himself close to the water-side when it begins to get dusk in the evening, near the stem of some tree or bush, or he must sit down on the ground with his gun ready for action, as there is no time to lose in cocking the gun or taking it up. When these ducks are fairly on the wing, the number of small parties, of couples and single birds that sweep over his head, and in all directions, is incredible to persons who have never pursued this pastime; this fact is MALLARD, OR WILD DUCK. 89 every morning and evening of the present season to bewitnessed, we speak of January, 1849. We never have seen so many water-fowl about us as there are at the present time, during all the years we have studied the subject of Ornithology. Many are the methods in which the Mallard is taken for the table, its flesh being relished by all nations; we shall enu- merate a few ways that are practised, for the amusement of persons who may not have an opportunity of witnessing them. The greatest number of ducks of all descriptions are taken in decoys, or low grounds in the vicinity of lakes and inlets of the sea, where the grassy ground is, during the greater part of the year, covered by water; a sandy flat en- closed by an embankment or paling, has a large pond in its centre of a hundred or a hundred and fifty yards wide, and four or five ditches or canals are connected with it; the ends of these are all directed to one and the same spot in the form of a horn or halfmoon, and each of them is enclosed by osiers, rushes, alder, and ash trees, so as to form an avenue that becomes narrower as it approaches its termina- tion; among these bushes the sportsman’s hut is concealed, as also the warehouse of the poor captives ; in three or four distances along these avenues are screens made of rushes that come close up to the water for the use of the bird-catcher. The narrower parts of the avenues are covered over with net-work that end in a funnel of the same material. On the pond several call-birds, or trained Wild Ducks, of divers species, are allowed to swim about, to which the flocks that come about are induced to settle, and when the strangers are fairly swimming on the pond, the de- coyer calls his trained ducks by a whistle, either imitating a duck or golden Plover, and throws some food over one of the screens of rushes, that is nearest the pond, then I 2 90 ANATIDE. he does the same at the next screen and so on, until the party enters the funnel, when a trained spaniel shews himself, and on a sudden the man appears also; this induces the ducks to go head-foremost to their destruc- tion, and a trap-door of net-work being quickly raised pre- vents any from escaping. ‘The decoyman then opens the end of the funnel, and takes one after the other out, and wrings its neck; as soon as the strangers are thus disposed of, the decoy-duck returns to the pond in pursuit of his vocation. Another manner is also adopted by means of clap-nets, such as our common bird-catchers use for catching linnets, goldfinches, &c.; with this difference, namely, that the nets are spread open about six inches under water instead of being on dry ground: the ground is some very even grass kept clean for the purpose, and covered with water when required, by means of reservoirs or other contrivances; the cal]-birds are harnessed and pegged to the spot, allowing them a couple of feet range in swimming. The nets are of much larger dimensions than those used for small birds, and the materials much stronger; the line that draws the nets over the ducks as soon as they are swimming in the right spot, requiring a considerable strength, is managed by means of a machine made of wood; this method is a very successful one, and much practised in Holland and Germany. Flews, like those that are used for taking fish in ponds and rivers, are also set up over the surface of the water, and along its banks, into which, ducks entering entangle themselves. In India and other Eastern countries a very amusing way of taking ducks is practised by the natives, who cover their heads with a calabash, or pumpkin, and thus wade up to their necks in the water, and carefully mix among the ducks that swim on the surface; they then quietly MALLARD, OR WILD DUCK. 91 draw their victims by the legs under water, and fasten them to a girdle that is attached around their own bodies. Under all these circumstances it is necessary for the sportsman to keep himself opposite the wind and perfectly quiet, as ducks are possessed of a sharp scent and quick powers of hearing; the sight of ducks is, however, not acute, particularly in the dark; the Mallard is besides a very shy bird, and at all times watchful and suspicious. The food of the Mallard consists in aquatic insects, vege- table matter and grain, worms, slugs, &c. The nest of the Wild Duck is generally placed on some dry spot near the water, but invariably under shelter, and concealed by thick bushes or long herbage ; several instances are recorded of the nest and eggs being found in a deserted nest of some land bird, and we can add the following occurrence to the list of unusual places chosen by this species, where one would hardly expect to meet with it. The following is taken from our note-book, viz. “On the 2nd of March, 1842, we were walking on the skirts of the water-pit in Stoney field, Shepperton, Middle- sex, when one of the party threw a stone into the water, on which there arose from among the brushwood, with which the place is filled, a beautiful Wild Duck; it rose within ten yards of us, so that we could plainly distinguish it to be a Mallard. It flew several times round and round the field as if desirous to settle again in the same spot, but was deterred by our presence; it then flew off about half a mile and again returned, and passed over our heads, but as we stood in an unsheltered place and were unable to conceal ourselves, it again flew off towards the Thames, and apparently settled on one of the small islands in it. A day or two after we were told that a duck and drake had been seen in the same place again, by which we sus- 92 ANATIDE. pected, as the weather was open and fine, and warm for the time of the year, that this pair had remained so unusually late for the purpose of breeding. This proved to be the case, for on the 8th, as we were again walking about the same place, we discovered an egg, undoubtedly of this species ; it was deposited in the slightly hollowed platform of a willow stump, close to the stem of an oak; the egg was laid upon the green moss with which the stump was covered, with the addition only of half-a-dozen dead grasses : the platform was about six feet and a half above the water. The egg must have been laid since the morning, as we had passed the place before, when it was not there. We took the egg, which measured two inches four lines, by one inch five lines, and weighed nearly two ounces: we placed it under a tame duck on the 23rd of March, and it was hatched on the 21st of April. The young duck refused food and lived only two days; it was much smaller than its foster brethren, of a more lively appearance, and differed from them considerably in colour, being much darker in its downy plumage, the colours of which were dusky and gallstone yellow ; its beak and legs were lead coloured.” The eggs of the Wild Duck are from ten to fourteen in number; and when the female leaves the nest, during the time of incubation, she usually covers them with down and grasses so as to hide them from view. The measurements of the Mallard are twenty-four inches from the tip of the beak to the extremity of the tail; the beak two inches and a quarter, from the forehead ; the tarsus one inch eleven lines; middle toe two inches five lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, ten inches nine lines. The plumage of the adult male is as follows :—The head and neck rich metallic green, the lower part surrounded MALLARD, OR WILD DUCK. 93 by a white ring; the breast deep chestnut; the belly and vent greyish-white, tinged with ochre-yellow, and transversely barred with zigzag lines of dusky grey; the upper part of the back chestnut with paler edges to the feathers ; the scapulars pearl coloured, and pencilled with zigzag lines of brown; those next to the wing rich brown, pencilled with black. The lower part of the back, rump, and upper and under tail-coverts black, but reflected with green ; four middle tail-feathers black and curled up, the others dusky with white edges ; lesser wing-coverts dusky brown, tinged with yellow; the greater coverts have a bar of white, and are tipped with black; the speculum metallic prussian- blue, shaded into black and tipped with white; quill-feathers dusky-brown; the beak wax-yellow, tinged with sap-green ; legs and toes orange ; the eyes dusky brown. The female differs very materially from the male, and is as follows:—'The ground colour of the plumage, with a few exceptions, is cream-yellow, the head streaked with dusky brown, darkest on the crown; the chin without spots; the feathers of the upper parts all dusky-brown in their centres, the cream-yellow forming their borders; the lesser wing- coverts dusky-brown, tinged with grey ; speculum as in the male, but not so deep in colour, their tips also white; the under parts streaked and spotted with dusky-brown ; quills and legs as in the male; the beak greenish ash. The young males resemble the female, till after the first moult, The egg figured 247 is that of the Wild Duck. 94 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATIDA. PLATE CCXLVIII. PINTAIL. ANAS ACUTA. QUERQUEDULA AcUTA. Tue Pintail Duck is a winter visitant in Great Bri- tain, and more or less numerous according to the state of the weather during that time of the year. Its geographical distribution extends over most of the northern countries of Europe, Asia, and America. On the continent of Europe it is more plentiful than with us, but nowhere numerous, being computed to be in proportion to the mallard, only as one to fifty or sixty. As this species breeds principally in the northern parts of Siberia, Iceland, Hudson’s Bay, Canada, and other suitable parts about the polar circle, it migrates southward on the approach of winter, and thus becomes a resident in Holland, France, and Germany, frequently extending as far south as Italy and the northern coast of Africa. In Asia it descends to Persia, Tartary, China, and Japan, and in America, to the United States and Mexico. The autumnal migration takes place in October and ave Vd. PINTAIL. 95 November, and the return, or spring migration, in March and April, depending on an early or late spring ; some few remain to breed on the European continent, but we have no ac- count of their breeding in Britain, although many localities might induce them to do so. The chosen locality of the Pintail is very much like that of the mallard, but it rarely approaches the cover of trees or osiers, preferring the reedy borders of lakes, ponds, and rivers. During the day it feeds on extensive, green, muddy flats, or remains on the surface of the water at a proper and safe distance from the shore, and at night it comes to the borders of the before-mentioned waters. On the sea-coast the present species is only found during the time of migra- tion in places where some quiet inlet or bay affords the required muddy nooks during low-water, and under such circumstances it is only seen in companies consisting of thou- sands of other birds of the duck tribe. The food of the Pintail consists in insects, such as worms, beetles, snails, the spawn of frogs and fish; also vegetable matter, such as blades of grass, seeds, and the roots of water-' plants, and corn, to obtain which it flies to corn and stubble fields. Small fish and frogs it only consumes for want of better provender, but not by choice. In confinement the Pintail must be fed in the same way as the mallard; cats it prefers greatly to barley. The general appearance of the Pintail is by far more ele- gant than that of any other duck, in consequence of its more slender shape ; its lengthened tail-feathers contribute also to its beauty, and its long and slender neck frequently resembles in its motions that of the swan ; its flight, walk, and swimming capacities are like those of the mallard, but it has a very re- markable propensity to swim low in the water, with its neck 96 ANATIDE. stretched out at full length along its surface, in order most probably to be less seen by an enemy from the land; when winged, it mostly performs this feat. Its flight is quicker than that of the mallard, probably owing to its more slender shape. The best manner for a sportsman to approach the Pintail is by means of a boat among the rushes, and a good water- spaniel. Decoys are the best for the capture of all ducks, as before described. The breeding localities of the Pintail are lakes, ponds, and seas, that are in some parts thickly overgrown with reeds and rushes. The birds are paired in April, and build their nest either on some matted rushes in the midst of the reeds, or on some other dry patch, and not unfrequently among the grass near a ditch, or among the standing corn; but invariably so well concealed that it is only by chance that it is found out. The eggs are generally eight or nine in one nest, although ten have been found; the parent bird shews so much soli- citude for her eggs that she will remain on the nest, on the approach of danger, to the last moment. After two or three and twenty days the young brood make their appearance, and follow the mother on the liquid element. The adult male measures twenty-six inches; the beak two inches from the forehead; the tarsus one inch seven lines ; the middle toe two inches four lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip ten inches six lines. The head, chin, and throat are hair-brown, with a narrow band of rose-purple behind the ears; lower part of the neck, and a streak on each side reaching to the nape, white; the nape and hinder part of the neck dusky-brown; the breast and belly white. The flanks and thighs transversely lined with black on a white ground ; the vent and under tail-coverts deep black; the back is greyish-white, pencilled with black ; scapulars black ; PINTAIL. 97 the tertials are deep black, margined either with pearl-grey or yellow; lesser wing-coverts bistre colour; the larger coverts are tipped with brown-ochre; the speculum bronze- green with white tips. Quill-feathers dusky-brown ; the two long tail-feathers are black, the others dusky-brown, edged with white; the beak dark slate-grey; the legs and feet slate colour; the eyes are gold-yellow. The plumage of the female is as follows:—The forehead and crown of the head are pale chestnut, with streaks of black ; the cheeks and neck pale yellow-ochre, speckled with black ; the chin and throat cream colour; the sides of the breast dusky-brown, barred and tipped with white; the tippet and scapulars yellowish brown, streaked and spotted with reddish yellow and white; the tertials are dusky-brown, margined with white ; the wing-coverts are purplish-brown, the feathers edged and tipped with white; the speculum brownish bronze- green, with white tips. Quills dusky-brown ; the tail-feathers hair-brown, indistinctly barred with white and pale brown ochre ; the two middle feathers about half an inch longer than the rest ; the belly and vent cream-yellow, irregularly spotted with brown; under tail-coverts white, with chestnut-brown spots. Beak slate colour; legs and feet grey, with a tinge of brown. The egg figured 248 is that of the Pintail Duck. 98 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATID. PLATE CCXLIX. TEAL. QUERQUEDULA CRECCA, Tue Teal is indigenous in Great Britain, but its numbers are greatly increased also, during the winter, by migratory bands from more northern countries. Its numbers are very considerable, and only second in this respect to the mallard. Its geographical distribution extends over most parts of Europe and Asia, from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia, where it passes the summer months, to Spain, Italy, and Turkey, and even Egypt. In Denmark, Great Britain, and Holland its numbers are very great: in Asia it ranges from Kamtschatka to Japan, China, the East Indies, Persia, and Arabia. The Teal is a very hardy bird, but it invariably migrates southward to pass the winter in tolerably mild countries, and its migration commences generally in September, and continues through October and November. In the middle of March, it begins its returning movements to its breeding localities in small or large companies, rarely singly or in pairs, and its chief migrations take place during the night, although many flocks are seen in the day-time, flying either in a line or a triangle, and at a very great elevation. See SSS TEAL. 99 The localities principally frequented by the Teal are lakes, large ponds, or rivers, where flags and rushes abound ; swampy meadows, small streams, ditches in low grassy meadows, and pools of water occasioned by rain or inundations, pro- vided the ground is well covered with verdure; these all afford the Teal a resting-place, feeding-grounds or shelter. Whether the country is entirely open, or partly covered with trees is immaterial to the present species, as it is found equally in both. The Teal is not very shy compared with others of its family, and consequently frequently obtained by sportsmen who search for ducks, either early in the morning, or in the evening; this bird is also frequently met with in ditches that are full of long grasses and decayed rushes, but without a spaniel-dog it cannot easily be found, in consequence of the great care it takes, beyond most other birds, in wind- ing among the grasses, without running against them ; thus it avoids discovering its course to its pursuer by their vibration : this feat it performs with its head and neck carried horizon- tally, and yet it proceeds with great velocity. Not long ago, while we were waiting for ducks in the evening, a flock of about thirty Teal came sweeping close over our heads, and after skimming several times round us, they settled on the surface of a pool, and the gambols they performed while there, were exceedingly amusing, but not a note was uttered until they took to flight again. On taking wing from the water, they all rose instantaneously without giving pre- vious notice as other ducks do, by drawing together and making long necks on the approach of danger. When Teals are put up at night they only skim round, and soon settle again, frequently in the same place; but when put up early in the morning, they rise immediately to a great height, and fly off. 100 ANATID&. The food of the Teal is much the same as that of the fore- going species, namely aquatic insects, and tender blades and shoots of vegetable matter, also duck-weed, and seeds of grasses ; barley and oats it also consumes. The breeding localities are swamps of all kinds, although instances are on record of the nest and eggs having been found in clefts of rocks and stony places; the nest is com- posed of a loose structure of grasses, and the eggs are from nine to fourteen in number; in colour and size as represented in our plate. Many pairs breed in Scotland, and some in divers parts of England, but the greater numbers are multiplied in Iceland, Lapland, Finland, and the north of Russia, and equally so in the northern countries of Asia and America; in Norway, Sweden, Prussia, and Poland great numbers also breed. The male measures fourteen inches and a half; the beak one inch five lines; the tarsus, one inch two lines; the wing seven inches five lines. The crown of the head, cheeks, sides, and front of the neck, very rich chestnut-brown ; around the eyes, continuing as far as the nape, is a patch or band of glossy green, framed by a white line; the chin is black; the sides of the neck, back, scapulars, and flanks are rayed with zig-zag lines of black on a white ground ; the wing-coverts are hair-brown, with a slight tinge of grey; those nearest to the secondaries have yellow tips, forming thus a bar across the wing; the speculum is green, with the feathers on each side black; the front of the neck and breast are cream-white, with dusky black spots, the belly and vent white; the under tail-coverts yellow, with a division of black, and bordered with black ; the tail-feathers pale dusky-brown, edged with white; the beak is black, the legs gray, with brown joints and webs ; the eyes brown. TEAL. 101 The female has the head and neck yellow, with dusky- brown streaks; the throat and cheeks yellowish-white, spotted with dusky-brown, the upper parts are all dusky; the feathers broadly edged with yellowish-brown and white ; the under parts cream-colour ; the speculum like that of the male ; the legs tinged with yellow. The young of the year resemble the female, but their plumage is somewhat darker. The egg figured 249 is that of the Teal. ¢ Preuayy Sone at nes + hea 2 ae Jn me i q aR nl Kt URTV ‘a ny Se ee wet NRA St GE GES) ay \ ; PN ae pan, S © G a) jal GARGANY TEAL. 103 NATATORES. ; ANATIDAL. PLATE CCL. GARGANY TEAL. QUERQUEDULA CIRCIA,. Tue Gargany Teal is an occasional visitant in this coun- try during its migratory journeys, but neither of frequent occurrence nor seen in great numbers, as its course does not lie in the direction of our geographical position. The summer habitation of this species is to be found in the north-eastern countries of Kurope, namely, the southern parts of Sweden and Russia; and in Asia as high north as Kamschatka; but during the inclement season of the year it extends over the entire continent of Europe, south of the before-mentioned countries; and in Asia it spreads over Persia, Arabia, India, and China. The locality preferred by the Gargany Teal is low land, well intersected with water: the sea-coast seems only to be resorted to under peculiar circumstances; and even then, only the quiet and sheltered inlets are frequented, that afford large muddy fens, which become exposed during low- water. The Gargany Teal being rather a tender bird, it does VOL. VI. K 104 ANATIDE: not go far north, and draws towards the southern and warmer climates on the first appearance of cold and frost : its autumnal migrations are generally performed in October and November, and its vernal in March and April. According to Selby, it is during the spring migration that the Gargany Teal is most frequently met with in the eastern counties of Great Britain. Some writers have stated that it remains with us during the winter; but we have never met with it, and can hardly suppose this to be correct, owing to the tender nature of the bird. Some such circum- stance may occur where a bird has been slightly wounded, or been obliged, from other causes, to remain against its in- clination. During the day, the present species conceals itself on the water among flags and weeds that abound on the borders of lakes and ponds, ditches and rivers; it may also some- times be met with feeding in a low meadow or field. Its time for roosting is the middle of the day, and it takes its rest either on the water, or standing and squatting among the long grass in meadows. ‘Towards the dusk of the evening, and mostly earlier than other ducks, it starts from its retreat, to the usual feeding-grounds, among which pools, occasioned by heavy rain or thawed snow, form a favourite resort; there the Gargany Teal busies itself throughout the night, until the approach of daylight reminds it that its safety becomes endangered. The Gargany Teal is not conspicuous in the bright colouring of its plumage, but on near inspection it will be found to be one of the most beautifully marked of its family, and its general appearance is graceful: its capacities in the way of swimming and walking are equal in every respect to those of the foregoing species; its flight is exceedingly buoyant, sometimes very quick, and it is said GARGANY TEAL. 105 to be capable of evolutions that are peculiar to itself. These are, that the bird rolls occasionally over and over in the air, shewing to the beholder first its under, and then its upper parts. Its flight, when on its migratory journey, is performed in a straight progress ; and when a small number or a family are together on the wing, they form a sort of line, but the individuals do not keep close together, like most other ducks. In consequence of its wings being small in _pro- portion to its size, the noise produced by them is very trifling, and seldom heard. The Gargany Teal is not very shy, and may therefore be easily approached within gunshot ; when it is disturbed from its hiding-place, it very frequently settles again near the same spot, and, during its stay in any place, it is known frequently to approach very near the habitations of man, where a suitable piece of water invites it. The call-note of this species resembles that of the mallard, but is of course uttered in a weaker tone of voice. This bird soon becomes tame in confinement, and it is therefore remarkable that we do not see some of these beautiful creatures on the ornamental ponds of private individuals. The food of the Gargany Teal consists in insects and their larvee, small worms, small fry of fish, frogs, and spawn. It also feeds on vegetable matter of divers descrip- tions, such as the roots and shoots of aquatic plants, grasses and grain of most kinds, principally barley, oats, and millet. The breeding localities of the present species are in every respect the same as those of the common wild duck ; but the bird does not frequent such northern latitudes as before mentioned in the history of that species, and it does not, 106 ANATIDE. consequently, start so early in the spring for the principal rendezvous, namely, the uncultivated countries northward. The adult birds arrive at their breeding-stations already in pairs, but the young ones have to make their choice and fight the usual battles on their arrival for their mates. Their migratory journeys are therefore either performed in pairs or in small parties, and invariably during the night. About the latter end of April or beginning of May, the female begins to lay, and the brood generally consists of from nine to twelve, and sometimes extends to fourteen. The eggs are in form and colour as represented in our plate. After three weeks’ incubation, the young brood come forth, and follow the mother, as soon as they are dry, to the water, and are carefully led by her to the cover of the nearest weeds and rushes. The Gargany Teal measures sixteen inches and a half in length, and weighs about fifteen ounces. In the adult male the upper part of the head is dusky- brown, with darker streaks; over the eye is a white band, which passes down the sides of the neck; the cheeks and upper part of the neck are purplish brown, marked with fine white lines; the breast is marked with semicir- cular lines of brown and black; the chin is black; the belly dirty white, toward the vent are some dusky streaks ; the sides are marked with numerous small undulating black lines ; the wing-coverts are cinereous-grey, the larger wing- coverts are tipped with white; the scapulars are long and narrow, the upper ones striped with black, white, and ash colour, the rest cinereous-grey ; the speculum is green, with a white edge below; the tail is dusky; the beak and legs are bluish-ash colour. The female is. brown on the upper parts, streaked GARGANY TEAL. 107 with dusky; the white streak over the eye is indistinct,: and the green speculum is wanting, which distinguishes this from the female of the common teal: as the plum- age is alike in other respects, this is worthy of notice. The egg figured 250 is that of the Gargany Teal. mG} 108 ANATID&. NATATORES. ANATID &. PLATE CCLI. . BIMACULATED DUCK. QUERQUEDULA GLOCITANS. Tue Bimaculated Duck is said, by ornithologists, to be a ‘¢ very rare visitant in Great Britain;” rare indeed, one solitary individual having been taken in 1771, according to Pennant, and two others bought in Leadenhall Market in 1812, which were said to be taken in Essex: these latter are now preserved in the Museum of the Zoological Society, having been pre- sented by Mr. Vigors. We figure this species in our work, not only as we are in duty bound to do, in consequence of its having been included in the list of British Birds by all British ornithologists of the present century, but principally for its own sake, and on account of its personal beauty. It is to be regretted that no one had the spirit or love of science sufficient to preserve the tracheze and other internal particulars of these specimens, from which more knowledge might have been derived ; and we regret also that we are under the necessity of repeating the same story that is to be found in every book on the subject, and which is originally derived from Pallas, namely, that it is a native of Siberia, frequenting Lake Baikal, and the river Lena; nothing else being known respecting the habits, &c., &c., of this ornamental pair of BIMACULATED DUCK. 109 stuffed ducks. Temminck states, in the fourth volttme of his ‘* Manuel d Ornithologie,” that a species (Anas formosa), which is tolerably common in Siberia, China, and Japan, re- sembles our glocttans very much, and may prove hereafter to be the same species in a different state of plumage. This remark of Temminck may possibly lead to some investigation of the subject. The measurements of this bird are twenty inches in length ; the beak one inch ten lines from the forehead to the tip, two inches two lines from the gape; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, nine inches; the tarsus one inch four lines; middle toe one inch nine lines ; outer toe one inch eight lines ; inner toe one inch two lines in length. The beak is lead colour; eyes said to be dusky; the legs and feet orange-yellow. The plumage on the forehead and top of the head is dusky, changing to brown and chestnut from above the eyes to the nape, and further down the back of the neck becoming deep blackish purple ; from the fore- head, surrounding the base of the beak, extends the same dusky colour, becoming lighter towards the eyes ; around the eyes is a band of dark green, which runs round the ear- coverts in a circle to the front of the neck; on the lower part of the cheeks is a patch of bright chestnut brown ; a beautiful duck-green band begins above the dark green just over the eye, and extends all along the sides of the neck. The entire upper part of the breast is rich orange-brown, spotted with crescent-shaped dusky spots, in the same manner as the com- mon teal, the breast, belly, and vent are white, with fine pearl grey undulating pencilings; the back white, with the same markings, but rather stronger; the tertials elongated, and bordered with black, and tinged with straw-yellow ; the wing cinereous-dusky ; the speculum bright green, with a whitish band above, caused by the tips of the coverts being of 110 ANATID&. that colour, and below a band of black and white as repre- sented in our Plate; the quills are dusky; the upper and under tail-coverts are black with green reflexions, including the two elongated middle tail-feathers ; the rest of the tail dusky, with white tips. The above is the description of the male bird from the specimen in the British Museum. The plumage of the female we describe ‘as follows :—Head and neck pale buff colour, with black spots and streaks; the spots on the crown of the head are darkest and largest ; the chin and throat pale buff, without any markings; the lower part of the neck and sides of the breast pale yellowish brown, spotted with dusky ; the flanks are variegated with dusky and yellowish brown ; the upper parts are dusky, and each feather broadly edged with reddish white and pale yellowish brown ; the lesser wing-coverts hair brown; the lower row tipped with pale reddish brown; the speculum green, with purple re- flexions about the upper half; the lower half black, the feathers tipped with white; the quills and tail hair brown ; the tail-feathers margined with rusty white ; legs orange-yel- low. eS {o: 7 SO DEC LP 1D Ds um eae oe See RED rpg a THE WIGEON. 111 NATATORES. ANATIDA. PLATE CCLII. WIGEON. MARECA PENELOPE. Tue Wigeon is a regular winter visitant in Great Britain, at which season of the year it is distributed over every suitable locality, both on the sea-coast, and about the rivers and lakes, fens and ponds of our midland counties. The geographical distribution of the Wigeon extends over the chief parts of Europe and Asia; the summer months are passed in Iceland, Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Prussia, Britain, Holland, and France, and in countries of the same temperature in Asia; but on the approach of winter it migrates southward, and spreads over the entire south of both these quarters of the globe, and does not unfrequently reach beyond them, namely, as far as Egypt. It is said that some individuals remain to breed in this country, but the greater portion go further north for that pur- pose, and return with increased numbers in the autumn. These autumnal migrations generally begin late in September, or early in October, at which time small parties arrive from the north and north-east ; and as the season advances, they collect together in considerable flocks, in order to journey in a body 112 ANATIDE. further south. About the latter end of March the Wigeon makes its reappearance, and the spring migration continues throughout April. These journeys are generally performed during the night, at which time the birds fly at no great elevation, and may easily be known by their continued whistling; when the journeys are continued during the day, the birds fly very high, and in the usual manner of ducks, following one an- other; but these birds fly so very close upon the heels of their leader that it forms a distinguishing peculiarity. During the day the Wigeon frequents the low grassy and swampy borders of inland seas, lakes or rivers, but remains more frequently on the surface of the water at a proper and safe distance from the shore. In countries where the popu- lation is scanty, the Wigeon frequents the low muddy shores that are scantily covered with rushes and flags, or grassy bottoms that are partly swamped by high water or floods: this may account in some measure for their taking up their abode during the migratory seasons on the sea-shores that are low, flat, and swampy. During the floods in our immediate neighbourhood, occasioned by heavy falls of rain and swelling of the river Thames, we have very frequently seen parties or flocks of Wigeons swim about on the flooded meadows all day long, but at all times so far from the nearest point of land, that it required the greatest caution to steal upon them ; which could only be done by lying flat in a punt, and in this manner drifting with the stream towards them, so as to get with- ingunshot. This species seems to know nothing about hiding itself, yet is ever careful to keep out of harm’s way. The greatest numbers are taken in decoys, and the flavour of their flesh is considered very good on their first arrival from the north. The food of the Wigeon consists chiefly in aquatic insects WIGEON. 113 and larvee, worms, small mollusca, and rarely small fry of fish and frogs; frequently also it feeds on the tender shoots of vegetable matters that grow in their locality, their leaves, buds, and seeds: grain is no favourite food of the Wigeon. The chief feeding-times are morning and evening, and throughout the night. In confinement the present species becomes soon tame and accustomed to the food of other ducks; under which circumstances it also eats barley. The localities chosen by the Wigeon for the purposes of breeding are on or near some extensive lake or river that affords a wide extent of water; and on the border of such rivers the spot chosen is either under the shelter of some herbage, bush, or heap of stones; it conceals its nest very cleverly, which makes it a very difficult matter to find it. The female constructs the nest with the materials at hand, namely, flags, grasses, stalks, and leaves; and manages the plaiting in such a manner that the structure forms a cup of considerable depth in its centre for the reception of the eggs; these are from ten to twelve in number, and the brood is hatched in twenty-four or twenty-five days; these follow the parent on the water as soon as they are dry. The entire length of the Wigeon is twenty inches; beak from the forehead to the tip, one inch and a half; the tarsus one inch six lines; the wing from the tarsus to the tip, ten inches and a quarter. The plumage of the adult male in spring, autumn, and winter, is as follows:—the colour of the beak and legs is bluish-ash ; the tip of the beak and the nail are black; webs and claws of the feet also black; the eyes are dusky-brown ; from the forehead extends over the entire top of the head a band of straw-yellow, forming a sort of crest; the head and neck are chestnut ; the front and sides of the upper part of the breast are Indian-red, palest in front, and darkest on the 114 ANATIDEA. sides; this red is irregularly continued, reaching as far as the speculum, when the wings are closed. The lower part of the breast, belly, and vent are white, the flanks rayed with grey ; upper and under tail-coverts black. The entire back, from the neck to the upper tail-coverts, rayed with grey on a white ground. The tertials are biack, edged with white; the wing-coverts white ; the speculum is green, with a broad border of black above and below; the quill-feathers dusky ; the tail lighter dusky, and tinged with grey The adult in summer differs very much from what we ever meet with here, and must be described thus :—the beak, legs, and eyes, the same as before stated. The head and neck spotted all over with black; the breast and sides of the body reddish-brown, with darker bars and lines; the back and sca- pulars mottled and varied with feathers of reddish-brown and dusky marked in large bars, and others with fine black and white undulating lines ; under tail-coverts white, with reddish- brown bars. The female is like the common duck, of a sooty-brown, _ spotted with dusky-black ; but at all times to be known by the blue beak and legs, set off with black like the male. The egg figured 252 is that of the Wigeon. SUMMER DUCK. 115 NATATORES. ANATIDA PLATE CCLIITI. SUMMER DUCK. DENDRONESSA SPONSA. Two specimens of the Summer Duck having been ob- tained, in an apparently wild state, near Dorking in Surrey, some few years ago, this species has been added to the list of British Birds by some few ornithologists ; but whether it can lay claim to its place in the British Fauna is ques- tionable, and must remain so until more frequent occurrences of the species substantiate its right. The American continent is the natural abode of the present species, where it is known by the name of Wood Duck. The particulars at present known respecting the Sum- mer Duck, are very limited, but not uninteresting, in consequence of its habits differing in some respects from those of other ducks, namely, in its placing its nest in- variably in trees; a hole in a tree by the water side, a cavity formed by decay or accident, or the hollow crown of a pollard, are particularly chosen for the purpose. The number of eggs varies generally from ten to four- VOL. VI. L 116 ANATID#. teen, and they are in size, shape, and colour, as represented in our Plate. The food of the present species consists in seeds and insects. This is a very ornamental species, and may very easily be kept in confinement, or half-domesticated, provided a suit- able locality is given it; such as a rivulet that runs through a well-wooded pleasure-ground or plantation. The entire length of the Summer Duck is twenty-one inches; the beak measures one inch four lines and a half from the forehead to the tip; the tarsus one inch six lines; the middle toe and claw two inches; the wing nine inches. The plumage of the adult male is as follows:—The top of the head, and space between the eye and the beak, are glossy dark green; the cheeks, and a large patch on the sides of the throat, purple with blue reflections ; the crest on the top of the head is green and lake reflected. The chin and throat are white, which colour extends in a line to behind the eye, and another line of the same passes behind the ear-coverts and extends over the eye to the beak; the sides of the neck are purplish red, changing on the front of the neck and sides of the breast to a deep maroon colour, studded with triangular white spots; the back, scapulars, lesser wing-coverts, and tail-feathers, are a metallic display of black, green, lake, and blue; the lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are blackish green and purple. On the sides of the rump are pendant hair-like tufts of red- dish purple; the under tail-coverts are brown; the lower part of the breast and vent are white; the flanks are rich yellow, finely pencilled with black; the quill-feathers are silver grey, with much white on the outer webs, and some of the shorter onés tipped with blue; the beak is red, framed SUMMER DUCK 117 with black, which colour extends over the nostrils ; the legs and feet are orange yellow, with dusky webs; the eyes orange. The female has only a small crest on the top of her head, and the colouring of that part is deep purple; behind the eyes is a white band; the chin and front of the throat are white ; the head and neck are yellowish brown; the breast dusky brown, with triangular white spots; the back and scapulars are chestnut brown with bronzed reflections ; the female has not any of the pendant feathers on the sides of the posterior parts ; the beak is brown, the legs olivaceous grey; the eyes hazel. The egg figured 253 is that of the Summer Duck. 118 ANATIDE. NATATORES. ANATID, PLATE CCLIV. BLACK SCOTER. OIDEMIA NIGRA. Tue Black Scoter is a winter visitant in Great Britain, and principally found on our rocky shores; its geographical dis- tribution extends over the northern parts of Hurope, Asia, and America ; it passes the summer months in high northern latitudes, where it breeds, and migrates southward, to evade the inclement season of the north, as far as the United States in America, the central parts of Siberia in Asia, and in Europe, to our shores, as well as those of the Baltic, Holland and France. The numbers that visit the before-named European shores are so great, particularly during a continuous north-west wind, that they appear in clouds, and cover the surface of the water, literally, to a great extent. The adult males leave the breeding places about the end of July ; the young birds migrate in August, and the greater BLACK SCOTER. 119 numbers of intermediate ages, and the females, follow soon after ; thus the larger flights arrive in September and October. By the latter end of March and the beginning of April, the northern migration takes place. The Black Scoter is so exclusively partial to the sea, that it chooses lakes, ponds and bogs, in the immediate vicinity, for the purposes of breeding, and returns again to the sea as soon as its young ones are ready to swim after it. The food of this bird consists in crustacea, bivalves, mollusca, and other marine animals and insects; to obtain which it is constantly diving. It is remarkable how long the Black Scoter can remain under water in pursuit of its prey ; and this fact is well known to the fishermen upon the coast of France, who, placing their nets horizontally, from two to three feet above the beds of shell-fish, to which these birds resort, catch, by that means, great numbers for the tables of the good Catholics, who are taught to consider the Scoter to be sufficiently allied to the fishy tribes to constitute proper food for fast-days. The breeding-places of the Black Scoter are the high northern latitudes within the Arctic circle. In Lapland, Finland, and the northern parts of Russia, great numbers are multiplied; the nest is placed on the border of some fresh water in the most unfrequented situations, and placed under the shelter of a willow or birch, or tuft of vegetation, or among stones ; it is composed of dried stalks and leaves, and interwoven with small osier-boughs, &c. By the beginning of June nine or ten eggs may be found in such a nest, in shape, size, and colour, as represented in our Plate. The male bird leaves the entire care of the eggs and young brood to the female, and returns to the sea to L 3 120 ANATIDA, pass the time of moulting, after which it journeys with its companions southward as before mentioned. The entirely black plumage of this Scoter distinguishes it from other water-fowl; when on the water it swims with the head and neck much shortened, and its rump very low on the surface. As before mentioned, this bird is very expert in diving, and can remain for some minutes under water. Its walk on land is not performed with greater facility or grace than that of others of its family; its flight is tolerably quick, sometimes very high in the air, and always accompanied with considerable noise, produced by the beat- ing of its wings: when taking wing from the water, it re- quires a propelling start; and on alighting, it skims the surface for some distance. When in large companies and on their migration, the Black Scoters journey in a slanting line. The call-note of this species is a vibrating, rough sound, but during the pairing seasons the male utters the syllable tu, tu, tu! which is answered by the female with the re- sponse of ra, ra, ra! The Black Scoter measures eighteen inches in length: the beak, from the forehead, one inch eight lines; the tarsus one inch and three-quarters; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, eight inches and three-quarters. The entire plumage of the adult male bird is blue-black ; the beak is black, with a tubercle at the base of the upper mandible; the nostrils and a round space in front of them are orange-yellow ; the legs and toes are reddish-black; the eyes are brown. The female has the head and upper parts of the body sooty-brown, the feathers being edged with a lighter colour ; the chin and throat are pearl-white; the under parts are BLACK SCOTER, 121 pale chocolate brown with a silky texture: the beak is dusky-black, with only a slight elevation instead of the tubercle. The young resemble the female, but the beak shews very soon the difference of the sex. The egg figured 254 is that of the Black Scoter. 122 ANATIDA, NATATORES. ANATID/. PLATE CCLV. VELVET SCOTER. OIDEMIA FUSCA. Tue Velvet Scoter is, like the foregoing species, a regular winter visitant upon our coasts; its earlier or later appear- ance depending upon the state of the weather. The native regions of the Velvet Scoter are the countries of Europe, Asia, and America, that are situated within the Polar Circle. In Russia it is very numerous, and in Siberia and Kamtschatka also very common, as well as in Hudson’s Bay and the adjoining countries. In Greenland and Iceland the present species is not known to occur; in the Orkneys, Hebrides, and in Norway it is again plentiful. During the winter season, the severity of the weather drives it southward to Sweden, the Baltic, and Denmark, and to the coasts of Great Britain, Holland, and France; also to the inland seas of Russia, Pommerania, and Holstein. Some instances are on record of its being met with on the inland rivers and lakes of Germany, as well as in Switzerland ; on the coast of Italy it has also been seen at intervals. The Velvet Scoter leaves its summer quarters later than VELVET SCOTER. 123 most ducks, and arrives rarely before the month of November, in our latitudes. While the shores are free from ice the flocks remain in about the same localities as the Black Scoter, and about the mouths of large rivers, after which it retires to the open sea, where it passes the winter in the company of other ducks. In the month of March the spring mi- gration takes place, which is always performed during the night. It is very easy to distinguish the Velvet Scoter from the Black Scoter, by the white band across its closed wing ; besides which, it is a plumper bird, its head is thicker, and its tail shorter. This bird is rarely seen on land, but mostly frequents the water, for which reason it walks at all times very in- differently, and treads on its own toes for want of prac- tice. In the arts of swimming and diving there is no duck that exceeds it, and it is said that this bird dives for food to the depth of eight fathoms. In these feats of diving this species appears to descend as terrestrial birds of prey do upon their victims, gathering its strength, as it were, in the air, so that the force with which it descends through the air enables it to penetrate to so considerable a depth in the denser and more resisting element. The flight of the Velvet Scoter is rather heavy when the bird only makes short excursions over the surface of the water, but when it is fairly on the wing for a lengthened journey, it proceeds with tolerable speed. The Velvet Scoter is not by far so shy as the Black Scoter, and, under ordinary circumstances, it only swims to a couple of hundred yards from an approaching danger: when on a pond or small piece of water, it is easily ap- proached in a boat and shot. 124. ANATIDE, Sociability with its own species does not reckon among the virtues of the Velvet Scoter; it does not unite in any great numbers with its species, but is usually seen in parties of from three to six, and is often observed as a solitary wanderer. The call-note of this bird sounds very much like that of our carrion crow, and does not lay claim to much har- mony. The food of the Velvet Scoter is much the same as that of the Black Scoter; but, in addition to the bill of fare before mentioned, we must add worms, small fry, roots, and buds of water-plants, and many seeds. It is remarkable that this species swallows muscles whole together with the shell, and as they go through the bird, these shells are ground, or triturated by the action of the stomach. The breeding localities of the Velvet Scoter are appa- rently not in quite such high northern latitudes as those of the foregoing species, but they, nevertheless, abound in central Norway on the lakes and ponds in the vicinity of the sea; on the islands and between the rocks of the bays of Bothnia and Finland, and are particularly plentiful on the Lake of Ladoga. ‘The male and female appear in pairs long before the breeding-season, and are apparently inseparable. About the end of May or the beginning of June, the female deposits her eight or ten eggs (as represented in our Plate), and as soon as the young brood are able to swim, the mother-bird takes them to the sea, where she remains with them, watching for their safety. The entire length of the Velvet Scoter is twenty-three inches. The beak, from the forehead, one inch eight lines ; the tarsus one inch nine lines; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, ten inches ten lines. The entire plumage of the adult male of the present = VELVET SCOTER. 125 species is, as its name indicates, of a velvet black, with the exception of a space behind the eye, and a bar across the wing, which are pure white; the beak is orange, margined with black ; the legs and feet scarlet. The female is smaller than the male: her general plumage dusky-brown ; the under parts ash-grey, streaked and spotted with dusky-brown ; between the beak and the eye and on the ear-coverts are greyish white spots; the beak dusky; the legs and feet indian red. The egg figured 255 is that of the Velvet Scoter. . ‘as fit, 3 tae - rent a i 4 } ; j ae ire . ‘ ty SURF SCOTER. [2% NATATORES,. ANATID/. PLATE CCLVI. SURF SCOTER. OIDEMIA PERSPICILLATA. Tue Surf Scoter is a rare occasional visitant on the shores of the Orkney and Shetland Isles, its visits to those islands constituting the only claim it possesses of being ranked among British Birds. Its principal natural residence is in the high northern latitudes of the American continent. During the winter season this bird descends as far south, along Hudson’s and Baffin’s Bays, as Florida. The locality mostly frequented is the sea, and in consequence of its partiality to the heaviest surf, in which it floats with the most determined ease, it has obtained its trivial name. Its southern migration in America extends along the waters of the Mississippi and Missouri, and it is consequently not exclusively an inhabitant of the sea. The only localities known to be eauenicd by these birds in Europe are the above-named isles, the coasts of Norway and Sweden, and, in one instance, the Rhine, an individual having been found on that river, which proved to be a female. VOL. VI. M 128 ANATID&. In Newfoundland the Surf Scoter is said to be well known. While the present species frequents the sea, it passes most of its time close to the shore, floating over the hidden beds of shell-fish; but when it resorts to lakes and rivers, it keeps to the central parts, as it is by nature very shy. During its summer occupations it frequents the mouths of rivers near the shores of small islands and fresh-water lakes in the vicinity of the sea, where it seeks the shelter of reeds, flags, and long grasses, which it avoids at all other times. The habits of the Surf Scoter resemble those of the Velvet Scoter in many respects: its flocks are said to be very numerous, and its motions in every respect alike. The food of the present species agrees in many respects with the foregoing, to which we must add the shoots of aquatic plants, flags, and grasses, but muscles form its prin- cipal nourishment. The breeding-places of this species are chiefly the coasts of Hudson’s Bay, and the nearest fresh-water lakes and rivers. The nest is a loose construction of grasses, flags, and other decayed plants, and is lined with down from the breast of the parent bird. The eggs are said to be from four to six in num- ber. The entire length of the Surf Scoter is about twenty- one inches. The adult male bird has the entire plumage blue or inky black, with the exception of a pure white patch on the fore- head, and another just at the nape of the neck. The beak is orange yellow; the nob on the upper mandible vermilion ; SURF SCOTER. 129 the nail is almost white ; one patch of black and another of silver grey are situated on each side of the beak; the legs are orange yellow. The female is cinereous dusky brown where the male is black, and the two distinguishing marks on the head and neck are pale brown; the beak is yellowish grey; the legs and feet brown. The egg figured 256 is that of the Surf Scoter. 30 ANATIDA. NATATORES., ANATID LE. PLATE CCLVIL. EIDER DUCK. SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA. THe Eider Duck is an inhabitant of the northern coast and isles of Great Britain, and its geographical distribution extends in Europe to the highest northern latitudes that have ever been penetrated by navigators. During the sum- mer this beautiful and extremely useful bird does not extend southward farther than the fifty-fifth degree ; it is very plen- tiful in the bays and islands, and on the coast of Norway, particularly in Drontheim. During the winter its migrations reach the Baltic Sea, Schleswick, and Holstein; in Holland and France the Hider Duck is a rare occurrence. In Asia and America the present species ranges in similar latitudes, from the most northern regions to New York in America, and to the northern provinces of Russia in Asia. The Hider Duck cannot be considered so much a migratory species as a wanderer of some two or three degrees from its native abode, as many individuals are observed to remain throughout the year in their birthplace. Yo what has already been said of the localities frequented EIDER DUCK. 131 by the Hider Duck, it is only necessary to add that the bird in question only resides on or near the sea, fresh water being not only unpalatable but even injurious to its nature and constitution ; on the mouths of rivers where the water is salt, and in bays of all dimensions, it is numerous, and even on the wide ocean, far from any shore. Small islands that slope gradually into the sea, the Hider Duck chooses by preference ; there they may be seen to sun themselves on the sands dur- ing fine weather, in the morning. Their time of roosting is the middle of the day, which is most frequently enjoyed on the liquid element ; during the night this bird is chiefly employed in feeding, and its move- ments from place to place are performed morning and evening. The general appearance of the male Hider Duck is very conspicuous, and it cannot be mistaken for any of its neighbours, but the female resembles that of the Velvet Scoter in point of colouring. When this species is on the wing, it is more conspicuous than most others, on account of its bulky form, thick head, and short neck, and its flight is heavy. Its walk on shore is very unsteady, and evidently performed with great exertion; it becomes, therefore, a necessary duty to take wing on the approach of danger. The watery element is its proper place, and consequently the bird is very expert in swimming and diving. In the search after its feod this species is obliged to resort to more shallow waters than those visited by the Scoter, as it is unable to remain so long under the ‘surface for want of air; nevertheless it feeds on shell-fish and other marine productions that are known to lie from thirty to forty feet deep. Mussels, small crabs, sea-leaches, small fishes, their spawn, and the entrails of fish that are left by gulls, are eagerly looked for by this species, but vegetable matter is not among its food. M 3 132 ANATID&. In the localities where the Hider Duck breeds, it is so careless, or rather so little awed, by the presence of mankind, that it makes its nest not only near, but among human habi- tations, and the female allows persons not only to take her eggs from her, but even to touch her without shewing any timidity; the male bird is at the same time rarely ap- proached within gunshot, either on the water or land. During the time ef migration or wandering, when great numbers are congregated, these birds cannot be approached, even by a boat or vessel of any size: the same watchfulness is kept up when the parent birds are accompanied by their - young ones. The sociable nature of the Eider Duck allows gulls and terns to breed in its immediate neighbourhood, and many of this species are generally found to breed in the same locality. Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and all the countries of the north, produce great numbers of these valuable birds, and they constitute a very important produce for the inhabitants of those regions, who greatly rely upon the eggs for food, and the exquisitely soft and warm down for defence against the cold. The coast of Northumberland may be considered as the most southern breeding-place of the Hider Duck. In some countries this bird is properly protected by the laws, which punish those who molest them with a fine of some eight or ten dollars; but where the breeding- places are respected, the number of nests increases annually to a wonderful degree, and in consequence the coasts be- come literally covered with the nests of these birds. On the island of Wildoe, near Iceland, where only a single family resides, the place is entirely peopled by tame birds of this species, during the breeding-season. The ground chosen for the nest is an undulating sea-coast or island, the same being scantily covered by low herbage, low EIDER DUCK. 133 birch-trees, juniper or lichens, and at intervals interspersed with sand and shingle. In the month of March, the birds begin to pair, when many a fight occurs between the males for the possession of their mates. The call-note of the male sounds like @, ow, yew, &c., and is constantly repeated ; but before the beginning of May no preparations for building are made: the more northward, the later are these preparations. The nest is composed of grasses, lichens, sea weeds, and sea grasses, which are heaped up on each other indiscriminately, and is finally lined with the well-known Hider down. The number of eggs varies from four to eight, those breeding more towards the south having the greater number; their size, shape, and colour are as represented in our plate. The female sits about three weeks on the eggs, during which time the male remains near her; but the care of the young is entirely left to the mother after hatching, and the male resorts to the sea, where he awaits his change of plumage. During the beginning of the existence of the young brood, the mother leads them about the shallow inlets of the sea, where they feed on the smaller kinds of crabs and lobsters that are washed up by the tides; from time to time they swim further out to sea, and soon learn to help themselves, by diving in deeper water, after which they are left to shift for themselves. The down which is so much valued is obtained by robbing the nests, and it forms a considerably lucrative business. The Greenlanders leave most of the down upon the skins which they dress, and by sewing them together make shirts of them, which are worn with the down towards their bodies: this is a very warm and soft clothing, and protects them securely from the cold of their inhospitable country. 134 ANATIDA. The flavour of the flesh of these birds is greatly relished by the inhabitants of the north, but is not fit for the table of civilised nations. The measurements of the Hider Duck are twenty-four inches in entire length; the beak measures two inches three lines ; the wing, from the carpus to the tip, eleven inches and a half. The adult male has the forehead, top of the head, chin, cheeks, neck, back, scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials, and a round patch on each side of the rump, white; from the sides of the upper mandible, a black band, with deep purple reflexions, passes around the eyes, meets on the top of the head, and reaches a long way behind the eyes; on the sides of the face are two pea-green crescent-shaped marks; the tips of the tertials are edged with black; the breast is tinged with brown ochrous yellow; all the under- parts, rump, and upper tail-coverts black; the wings and tail are dusky, as also the webs of the feet; the beak is pale ochre, the legs and toes the same, and the eye is dark brown. The plumage of the female is reddish-brown, transversely barred with black ; the head and back of the neck streaked with dusky; wing-coverts black, edged with brown; two faint white bars across the wing; the belly and vent are dark brown, with dull transverse black bars. The egg figured 257 is that of the Hider Duck. yet PNA MI oy fir We UIA i Aw VU ANATIDE, 135 NATATORES. ANATIDE. PLATE CCLVIIL KING EIDER. SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS. Tue King Hider is not found nearer to us than the Ork- neys, and is consequently a still more northern species than the foregoing. In Europe, this species is by far less numer- ous than the Hider Duck; it inhabits the most northern countries ; but in the northern parts of Asia and America it is principally at home. On the icy sea of Siberia, and in Kamtschatka it is plentifully distributed. In the upper parts of Hudson’s Bay and Labrador it is frequent, and ranges from thence southward in winter as far as New York. In Greenland it is very common, and equally so in Spitzbergen and Norway. During severe winter weather, this species migrates to Denmark and Sweden, but not unfrequently remains throughout that season in its native country. Like the Hider Duck, the present species frequents the ocean; also bays, inlets, and the mouths of rivers where the salt water predominates ; and its habits are in every respect the same as the foregoing, with the exception of its remaining more northward throughout the year; during the breeding- season, the localities frequented by the King Hider are un- 136 ANATIDE. dulating grounds covered with long grasses, lichens and stunted birch, and other vegetation. The difference to be observed in the appearance of the two species of Hider Duck, consists greatly in the red colour of the beak and legs of the one under consideration ; the walk, flight, and capacities of swimming and diving, are equally the same as those of the before-mentioned. The King Eider is usually sociable and even neighbourly towards its con- gener, except during the breeding-season when the male bird is too irritable and quarrelsome to be endured in company with the peaceable Hider Duck ; when one of this species mingles among the encampment of the Hider Ducks, the persons interested in their welfare are obliged to destroy it, In Greenland, Spitzbergen, and the coast of Norway, the principal breeding-places of this bird are to be found; but some few instances are on record of its breeding more to the south, and one has been mentioned as occurring in one of the Orkney Islands. The nest is very similarly placed to that of the Eider Duck, and the materials used for its construc- tion are the same; the eggs are generally four or five in number, of size and colour as represented in our Plate. The male bird leaves the care of the eggs and young brood to his partner, while he departs to enjoy the company of his friends on the open sea. The King Eider measures twenty-four inches and a half; the beak, one inch two lines; the tarsus, one inch two lines; the wing, eleven inches and a half. The male in adult plumage has the top part of the head and nape ash-colour ; a space, forming a long triangle from the beak below the eye, is green, the cheeks also green, but of a lighter tint ; the nob on the red-coloured beak is encircled with deep black, which band is continued through the eye, and sur- rounds the triangular patch on the sides of the face; the nail KING EIDER. 137 of the beak is flesh-coloured; the upper part of the neck is white ; the lower part ochreous yellow; the mantle is white, as also the wing-coverts, and a round patch on the sides between the rump and the vent; the rest of the upper and under parts of the bird are all black; the scapulars and tertials reflected with green: the quills and tail are dusky ; the legs and feet orange-red ; the webs dusky ; the eye is dark-brown. The female resembles the foregoing species of her sex so completely, that if it were not for the frontal plates, which are vertical instead of horizontal, they could hardly be distinguished. The egg figured 258 is that of the King Eider. ~ rs PE ae Fae ye Li Lae