146 AMERICAN GAME. 



in full, lusty health, rejuvenated, and exulting in the ap- 

 proach of their summer love-making, they are in their 

 full perfection of plumage, and their utmost excellence 

 for the table. There is no Long Islander, and few Jer- 

 seymen, who are not fully awake to the preeminent merits 

 of a May Brant for it is about the fifteenth of that 

 genial month, when they for the first time reappear 

 among us, the youth of the past year now in full adult 

 plumage, and not to be distinguished from the adults. 

 They tarry, however, at this period but for a few days, 

 ere they are again up and off to the northward ; still so 

 eager are their pursuers at this season, that short as is 

 their stay the havoc made among them is yet not incon- 

 siderable. 



At this season the Brant weighs about four pounds, 

 and measures two feet in length from bill to tail, and 

 three feet six from tip to tip of the extended wings. The 

 bill is black, rather high at the base, the nostril medial. 

 The head, and the whole length of the neck, with the 

 exception of a white oblong patch on either side of the 

 throat, rich velvety black ; front part of the breast cine- 

 rious brown, each feather broadly margined with grayish 

 white. The upper parts blackish brown, each feather 

 margined with lighter brown ; sides gray, margined with 

 white ; abdomen and vent pure white ; quills and pri- 

 mary coverts dark blackish gray. Rump and middle 

 tail feathers black, rest of the tail grayish white. Irides 

 hazel ; legs dusky. The female is smaller than the male, 



