148 love's meinie. 



118. We will try our twelve questions 



again. 



1. Country. Equally numerous in every 

 part of Europe, in Africa, India, China, and 

 Japan ; yet hardly anybody seems to have 

 seen it. Living, however, " near the peren- 

 nial fountains " (wherever those may be ; — 

 it sounds like the garden of Eden !) " during 

 the greater part of the winter, the birds pass 

 Malta in spring and autumn, and have been 

 seen fift}^ leagues at sea off the coast of 

 Portugal " (Buffon) ; but where coming from, 

 or going to, is not told. Tunis is the most 

 southerly place named by Yarrell. 



2. Food. Anything small enough to be 

 swallowed, that lives in mud or water. 



3. Form and flight. I am puzzled, as afore- 

 said, between its likeness to a ball, and a lath. 

 Flies heavily and unwillingly, hanging its legs 

 down. 



4. Foot. Long-toed and flexile. 



5. Beak. Sharp and strong, some inch and 

 a half long, showing distinctly the scimitar- 

 curve of a gull's, near the point. 



6. Voice. No account of. 



7. Temper. Quite easily tameable, though 



