ANATIDE. 4638 
with one of the Wild Ducks, but I believe quite 
without success, except in its own imagination; as 
far as that was concerned it seemed to consider 
itself perfectly successful, and attached itself to its 
own Duck’s brood from the time they were hatched, 
until by a sort of fussy kindness and attention it 
had succeeded in killing them all. 
The Bernicle Goose is a winter visitor to these 
islands, and appears to be more numerous on the 
western coast and in Ireland than on the eastern 
coast, where its place is supplied by the Brent 
Goose. The food of this Goose appears to be 
mostly vegetable: grass it eats in almost any 
quantity; leaves, shoots and roots of vegetables, 
particularly such as have been watered by the sea, 
and contain particles of salt, young shoots of rye 
and wheat. Judging from the two species in con- 
finement it does not appear to be so partial to these 
as the Brent Goose. It devours also a good many 
insects and their larvz with its food.* 
I can find no account of the nest of this bird, and 
but little seems to be known of its habits in the 
breeding season. 
The Bernicle is a handsome showy bird. The 
beak is black; the irides dark brown; the space 
from the beak to the eye black; the forehead, 
cheeks, chin and upper part of the throat are white ; 
*« Meyer's ‘ British Birds,’ vol. yi., p. 27. 
