OP BIRDS. 645 



17. Petrels. The fulmar breeds in the isle of St. Kilda, and 

 continues there the whole year except September and part of Oc- 

 tober. The shearwater visits the Isle of Man in April ; breeds 

 there ; and, leaving it in August or the beginning of September, 

 disperses over all parts of the Atlantic ocean. The stormfinch, is 

 seen at all distances from land, on the same vast watery tract ; nor 

 is ever found near the shore, except by some very rare accident, 

 unless in the breeding season. Mr. Pennant found it on some lit- 

 tle rocky isles on the north of Skye. It also breeds on St. Kilda; 

 He also suspects that it nestles on the Blasquet Isles, off Kerry, and 

 that it is the gourder of Mr. Smith. 



28. Mergansers. This whole genus is mentioned among the 

 birds that fill the Lapland lakes during summer. Mr. Pennant has 

 seen the young of the red-breasted in the north of Scotland : a few 

 of these, and perhaps of the goosanders, may breed there. 



29. Ducks. Of the numerous species that form this genus, we 

 know of few that breed here : the swan and goose, the shield-duck, 

 the eider-duck, a few shovellers, garganies, and teals, and a very 

 small portion of the wild ducks. 



The rest contribute to form that amazing multitude of water- 

 fowl that annually repairs from most parts of Europe to the woods 

 and lakes of Lapland, and other arctic regions, there to perform 

 the functions of incubation and nutrition in full security. They 

 and their young quit their retreat in September, and disperse them- 

 selves over Europe. With us they make their appearance the be- 

 ginning of October; circulate first round our shores - } and, when 

 compelled by severe frost, betake themselves to our lakes and 

 rivers. Of the web-footed fowl, there are some of hardier consti- 

 tutions than others : these endure the ordinary winters of the more 

 northern countries ; but when the cold reigns there with more than 

 common rigour, they repair for shelter to these kingdoms : this re- 

 gulates the appearance of some of the diver kind, as also of the 

 wild swans, the swallow-tailed shield-duck, and the different sorts 

 of goosanders which then visit our coasts. Barentz found the bar- 

 nacles with their nests in great numbers in Nova Zembla. (Collect. 

 Voy. Dutch East India Company, 8vo. 1703, p. 19.) Clusius, in 

 his Exot. 368, also observes, that the Dutch discovered them on 

 the rocks of that country, and in Waygait Straits. They, as well 

 as the other species of wild geese, go very far north to breed, as 

 appears from the histories of Greenland and Spitzbergen, by Egede 



2 T 3 



