290 THE BRANT. 



wardly. During their stay they feed on the bars at low water, 

 seldom or never in the marshes; their principal food being a 

 remarkably long and broad-leaved marine plant, of a bright 

 green colour, which adheres to stones, and is called by the coun- 

 try people sea cabbage; the leaves of this are sometimes eight 

 or ten inches broad by two or three feet in length; they also eat 

 small shell fish. They never dive, but wade about feeding at 

 low water. During the time of high water they float in the bay 

 in long lines, particularly in calm weather. Their voice is hoarse 

 and honking, and when some hundreds are screaming together, 

 reminds one of a pack of hounds in full cry. They often quar- 

 rel among themselves, and with the Ducks, driving the latter off 

 their feeding ground. Though it never dives in search of food, 

 yet when wing broken the Brant will go one hundred yards at 

 a stretch under water; and is considered, in such circumstances, 

 one of the most difficult birds to kill. About the fifteenth or 

 twentieth of May they re-appear on their way north; but sel- 

 dom stop long, unless driven in by tempestuous weather. 



The breeding place of the Brant is supposed to be very far 

 to the north. They are common at Hudson's Bay, very nume- 

 rous in winter on the coasts of Holland and Ireland ; are called 

 in Shetland Harra geese, from their frequenting the sound of 

 that name; they also visit the coast of England. Buffon relates, 

 that in the severe winters of 1740 and 1765, during the preva- 

 lence of a strong north wind, the Brant visited the coast of 

 Picardy in France, in prodigious multitudes, and committed 

 great depredations on the corn, tearing it up by the roots, tramp- 

 ling and devouring it; and notwithstanding the exertions of the 

 inhabitants, who were constantly employed in destroying them, 

 they continued in great force until a change of weather carried 

 them off. 



The Brant generally weighs about four pounds avoirdupois, 

 and measures two feet in length, and three feet six inches in 

 extent; the bill is about an inch and a half long, and black; the 

 nostril large, placed nearly in its middle; head neck, and breast 

 black, the neck marked with a spot of white, about two inches 



