GOOSANDER, 107 



roots, rather neatly twined together, and lined with 

 the down of the bird. 



The eggs, of a long oval shape, are from four 

 to six, seven or eight, and, Yarrell says, ten or fourteen, 

 in number, or more, though rarely; if removed from 

 the nest, as many as thirty have been successively 

 laid: their colour a uniform buff- white or cream- 

 yellow. The figure on the plate is from a pale green 

 variety. 



The female has been seen to carry her young on 

 her back, in the same way as described of the Swan. 

 She leads them to the water as soon as they are 

 hatched, or carries them thither in her bill if the nest 

 has been in the hollow of a tree, and at once com- 

 mences their education. 



The males appear to leave the females when the 

 latter have begun to sit, and do not rejoin them till 

 the summer is over: while absent they are only accom- 

 panied by one or two females, if any. 



