362 



WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



to be the Rotgansen, which his countrymen, the Dutch, sup- 

 posed to have been generated from some trees in Scotland, 

 the fruit of which, when ripe, fell into the sea, and were 

 converted into Goslings.* 



The Brent is about 2 feet in length ; and 3 feet 6 inches in alar ex- 

 tent ; from the bill to the front 1 inch 3^ lines. Head, neck, shoulders, 

 and swell of the breast, greyish-black. Quills, tertiaries, rump, and 

 tail, greenish-black. Back, scapulars, and outer and inner wing 

 coverts clove-brown, margined with yellowish-grey. A mottled spot 

 on the side of the neck, tail coverts above and below, sides of the 

 rump, and vent, white. Belly yellowish-grey. Flanks transversely 

 barred with bluish-grey and white. Bill and feet black, the former 

 small and shorter than the head. Tail coverts as long as the tail, 

 which is much rounded. 



HUTCHINS'S BARNACLE GOOSE. 



(Anser Hutchinsii, Richard. North. Zool. ii. p. 470. Anas hcrnida, 

 ^. Richard. Append. Parry's Second Voy. i. p. 368. Canada 

 Goose, Hearne, Journey, p. 439.) 



Sp. Charact. — With a black bill, less than an inch and a half in 

 length ; a white kidney-shaped patch on the throat ; upper half of 

 the neck black, the throat white. 



On Captain Parry's second voyage several flocks of Geese 

 were seen on Melville Peninsula, which were thought to be 

 the Anser leucopsis or Barnacle, but which the Esquimaux 

 said were the males of the Brent, that, during the breeding 

 season, separate themselves from the females. A number 

 of specimens were obtained, all of which proved to be males, 

 and, in the Appendix above quoted. Dr. Richardson de- 

 scribed them merely as a variety of the Brent, but from in- 



* The English fabled the same of the Barnacle, as we have related under that 

 article. 



