302 ANSERES. ALCAD.E. 



like that of nocturnal animals, appeared indeed 

 dilatable ; and the one in question often put down 

 his head and eyes into the water to observe the 

 situation of his prey. This bird was a most ex- 

 pert and indefatigable diver, and remained down 

 sometimes for several minutes, often swimming 

 under water, and, as it were, flying with the 

 velocity of an arrow in the air. Though at length 

 inclining to become docile, and shewing no alarm 

 when visited, it constantly betrayed its wander- 

 ing habits, and every night was found to have 

 waddled to some hiding-place, where it seemed to 

 prefer hunger to the loss of liberty, and never 

 could be restrained from exercising its instinct 

 to move onward to some secure or more suitable 

 asylum." * 



The eggs are two in number, sometimes three, 

 of a dark olive hue, with a few spots of brown ; 

 they are about as large as those of a goose. 



FAMILY III. ALCAD^E. 



(Auks.) 



The haunts and habits of these singular birds 

 are exclusively maritime ; they are oceanic birds 

 formed for diving, living on small fishes obtained 

 in this manner, and on marine Crustacea and 

 mollusca. In the Loons we saw the feet removed 

 to the extremity of the body, but these organs 

 were still ample, and were used in the act of 

 diving ; in the Auks the tarsi are very short and 

 the feet small; and in progression under water 

 no use whatever is made of the feet, which are 



* Quoted in Yarrell's Brit. Birds, iii. 427. 



