52 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



he attempts to defend its doubtful generation ; by the learned 

 Willughby it is thus described : — 



It is smaller than the tame Goose. Its beak is^black, much 

 smaller and shorter than that of a Goose, being, scarcelj^ one 

 and a half inches from the tip to the angles of the mouth. 

 That part which is near the beak is white, except at least a 

 small patch between the eyes and beak, A\hich is black. From 

 the neck to the breast-bone it is black above and below. The 

 under part of its body is white, with some tinge of ash colour, 

 nevertheless, the lowest feathers of the thighs just above the 

 knees are black. The end coverts of the tail are white, above 

 them the feathers grow black, elsewhere the back varies 

 between black and ash colour. The tail is black. The flight 

 feathers are black and ash-grey. The smaller feathers, which 

 clothe the wings are white on their outer margins, and else- 

 where for a considerable space black, the remainder is ash- 

 coloured. The hinder toe is very small. 



The French call these birds MacqueroUes and Mac reuses, 

 and in Lent they are sent from Normandy to Paris. But in 

 reality it has been discovered by the Dutch that these Geese 

 lay eggs, and that from these eggs these birds incubate and 

 hatch their young in the manner of other birds. [The Barnacle- 

 Goose.] 



The Duck Tribe. 



The Common Tame Duck is used for food, although it does 

 not afford such good nourishment as the Goose. 



Boschas major, the Common Wild Duck. 



Querquedula major, the Teal. 



Anas Circia, the Summer-Teal. Is this the biid A\hich our 

 countrymen call the Ateal ? [the Garganey].* 



The Eider Duck, of Wormius,t Avith very soft plumage, 

 which is thus described in the account of his Museum : — 



The male differs from the female in many respects, though 

 their outlines are nearly the same. The male obviously follo^^s 

 a duck in shape, with a flat black beak, approaching rather to 

 the shape of a Goose's than of a Duck's ; in the middle it is 

 provided with tAvo oblong openings for respiration ; it is three 

 inches long and sloped two ways like a comb. From its 

 nostrils upwards two very black jiatches consisting of the 

 softest feathers extend beyond the eyes to the back of the 

 head. A narrow white line divides them, which reaches to 



* A very rare visitor to Scotland. 



t Olaus Wormius, or Worm (1588-l()o4), author of Musaeum 

 Wormianum, Amsterdam, 1655. 



