28 HISTORY OF 



Of the numerous tribes of the duck kind 

 we know of no more than five that breed here ; 

 the tame swan, the tame goose, the sheldrake, 

 the eider duck, and a few of the wild ducks. 

 The rest contribute to form that amazing mul- 

 titude of water-fowl which annually repair to 

 the dreary lakes and deserts of Lapland from 

 the more southern countries of Europe. In those 

 extensive and solitary retreats they perform the 

 duties of incubation and nutrition in full secu- 

 rity. There are few of this kind that may not 

 be traced to the northern deserts ; to countries 

 of lakes, rivers, swamps, and mountains, covered 

 with thick and gloomy forests, that afford shelter 

 during summer to the timid animals who live 

 there in undisturbed security. In those regions, 

 from the thickness of the forests, the ground re- 

 mains moist and penetrable during the summer 

 season ; the woodcock, the snipe, and other slen- 

 der-billed birds, can there feed at ease ; while 

 the web-footed birds find more than sufficient 

 plenty of fpod from the number of insects which 

 swarm there to an incredible degree. The 

 days there are long, and the beautiful meteor- 

 ous nights afford them opportunities of collect- 

 ing so minute a food, which is probably of all 

 others the most grateful. We are not to be as- 

 tonished, therefore, at the amazing numbers of 

 fowl that descend from these regions at the ap- 

 proach of winter ; numbers, to which the army 

 of Xerxes was but trifling in comparison, and 

 which Linnaeus has observed for eight whole 



