836 THE FULVOUS TREE DUCK. 



together are lu he inentinnetl in ei iniparisdn. 'J"he\- sit llie water in small coiii- 

 ])anies and ahlm they are exeeedingls wary in regard to rnwhuals, tlie\' uften 

 permit an a]>proaeh on the pari of steamers whieh is very gratifying to the 

 stndent. An exaggerated nse of their long wings as the hirds get nnder way 

 gi\-es the heholder the impression of great weight — an im])ression whieh is not 

 snstained in the hand, where the hird is seen to he disa])pointingK- light, all 

 feathers, in faet, as compared with a chunky Scoter, which does not e(|ual it in 

 extent of wing hy a toot or more. 



The pursuit of the llrant is, of course, a much less simple matter than 

 formerlv. When the use of uiotor-hoats is forsworn (and it is not always, in 

 spite of the law's rei|uireiuent ), recourse must lie had to decoys and hlinds, or 

 else dependence placed in the casual carelessness of passing hirds. The Goose 

 is no such "goose" in spite of many fables, and Branhi is adding a good many 

 con\'(jlutions li> his cerebral hemispheres in the course of his contest with man. 

 The honest sportsnian ])rubably eartis what he gets and it oiil}- ;iilei|uate pro- 

 tection may be secured to the hirds in their breeding haunts, we sh.all have 

 tastes of wild goose for some \ears to come. 



Black Brants with us are exclusi\'el_\- maritime, and their food consists 

 largelv of sea wrack, f<_(r which the birds not only dip but dive as well. This 

 \'egetable diet is supplemented by wdiatever comes handiest in the wa\- iif siu.all 

 crustaceans, sea-worms and shell-tish. The tlesh, oti this account, is nex'er 

 equal to that of wheat-fed Canadas, ;md h\' spring it fre(|ueutl\- r.ates no higher 

 than that of Coots. 



r^roni the esthetic standpoint the most interesting" phase of ISrant life is 

 the luellow croiik. croiik, croiik. which the birds fre(|uently emit whether in 

 flight or at rest. I'roni the back bay near Dungeness in April rises a babel like 

 the spring offering of a giant frog-pond, ;i chorus of thousands of croaking 

 \-oices, among which the thrilling basso ..f hull frogs predominates. 



The Black Brant nests altogether within the .\rclic Circle, and altho eggs 

 have lieen taken at Cape T'.athurst and Point Harrow, it is surmised to breed 

 still more extensi\elv in some un<lisco\'ereil land tar lo the north of the last- 

 n.-uned i)roniontorv. 



No. 338. 

 FULVOUS TREE DUCK. 



A. O. V. No. 17S. Dendrocygna bicolor (\ieill.). 



Description. — . Idiilt iiialc and female: Heneral color yellow'ish brown or pale 

 cinnamon, darker on head, nearh' uniform on tmderparts, hut flanks striped with 

 lighter fulvmis: a black centi.il stripe on hind-head and neck; upper hack and 



