BERNACLE. 363 



well as the hind-head, neck, breast, wings, and tail 

 being black*, while the fore- head, throat, and all the 

 under parts are pure white. It has sometimes been 

 confounded with the brand or brent goose (Anas 

 brenta, WILLUGHBY) ; but the latter is much smaller, 

 measuring only twenty-two or twenty-three inches, 

 and is differently coloured. 



Bernacle, or Claik Goose. 



This bird was not only fancied to originate from 

 rotten timber as well as to grow on trees like some 

 sorts of mushrooms (Agarici, Boleti, &c.),but authors 

 of no mean reputation both in Scotland and England 

 assert that they have themselves actually witnessed 

 this miraculous phenomenon j and from its having 

 been first observed in this country, the continental 

 naturalists were led to call the bernacle the British 

 bird by way of distinction. The Scottish historian, 

 Boece, being one of the oldest ocular witnesses 



* Linnaeus and Latham by mistake give it red feet, and call it 

 Anas erythropus. 



