HABITS OF SOME BIRDS. 257 



breathing with such a spring, and dives again so 

 instantaneously, that I defy any one at first sight to 

 be sure that it was not a fish leaping for sport. 



Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. 

 The upland species (Anas Magellanica) is common, 

 in pairs and in small flocks, throughout the island. 

 They do not migrate, but build on the small out- 

 lying islets. This is supposed to be from fear of 

 the foxes : and it is pei'haps from the same cause 

 that these birds, though very tame by day, are shy 

 and wild in the dusk of the evening. They live 

 entirely on vegetable matter. The rock-goose, so 

 called from living exclusively on the sea-beach 

 (Anas antarctica), is common both here and on the 

 west coast of America, as far north as Chile. In 

 the deep and retired channels of Tieri'a del Fuego, 

 the snow-white gander, invariably accompanied by 

 his darker consort, and standing close by each other 

 on some distant rocky point, is a common feature 

 in the landscape. 



In these islands agreatloggerheaded duck or goose 

 (Anas brachyptera), which sometimes weighs twen- 

 ty-two pounds, is very abundant. These birds were 

 in former days called, from their extraordinary 

 manner of paddling and splashing upon the water, 

 race-horses ; but now they are named, much more 

 appropriately, steamers. Their wings are too 

 small and weak to allow of flight, but by their aid, 

 partly swimming and partly flapping the surface 

 of the water, they move very quickly. The man- 

 ner is something like that by which the common 

 house-duck escapes when pui'sued by a dog ; but I 

 am nearly sui"e that the steamer moves its wings 

 alternately, instead of both together, as in other 

 birds. These clumsy, loggerheaded ducks make 

 such a noise and splashing, that the effect is ex- 

 ceedingly curious. 



Vol. 1—17 Y 



