78 BERNICLE GOOSP 



aant on tne east side of the island, each appearing 

 only as comparative stragglers where their congeners 

 are most numerous. It does not appear to range 

 far inland, being a more maritime species than any 

 of the preceding birds, resting by day on the shores, 

 and commencing to fly with the twilight, to the 

 feeding-grounds, which, where we have observed 

 them, were extensive merses or flats partially inun- 

 dated by the higher tides. 



On the shores of the Solway Firth they are at 

 times very abundant ; and although it is not much 

 practised, they are occasionally shot during their 

 flight by waiting, or, as it is called on the North- 

 umbrian coast, " slaking/' They are of some repute 

 for the table, and are superior to any of the " true" 

 wild-geese. The Bernicle is a bird also easily tamed, 

 and several pairs are kept by the London Societies 

 and at Knowlsley ; but though eggs have been 

 laid, no young have yet been produced. Mr. Yar- 

 rell states that it is not uncommon in the shops of 

 the London Poulterers from November to February. 

 The correct distribution of the Bernicle elsewhere, 

 seems scarcely ascertained ; in Europe it is not traced 

 so far south as the last ; it is more frequent in the 

 north as a migratory bird, but in Lapland, where 

 the last was abundant, this is rare. Its distribution 

 to America is either uncertain or the species is very 

 rare. In the Comparative List it is entered " North- 

 ern parts;" but we have it not in the Northern 

 Zoology, while the birds introduced under that 

 name in the appendices to the previous arctic ex- 



