138 LOBIPEDID^E. 



young birds leave the nest as soon as hatched. On the 

 approach of danger the old bird runs among the aquatic 

 herbage, spreading her wings, and counterfeiting lameness, 

 for the purpose of deluding the intruder ; and after leading 

 the enemy from her young, she takes wing and flies to a 

 great height, at the same time displaying a peculiar action of 

 the wings; then descending with great velocity, and making 

 simultaneously a noise with her wings. On her return to 

 her young, she uses a particular cry for the purpose of 

 gathering the young together. As soon as she has col- 

 lected them, she covers them with her wings like the do- 

 mestic hen." A small flock of these birds was seen on 

 the west coast of Greenland, in latitude 71, in June, on 

 Sir Edward Parry's first Arctic voyage ; and Captain James 

 Ross, in the Natural History Appendix to the third voy- 

 age, mentions that a small flock of these birds alighted 

 under the lee of the ship, during a strong breeze of wind, 

 and were so fearless of danger as to approach within a few 

 yards of her, feeding on small shrimps, which were seen 

 in great numbers. At this time, it is observed, " we were 

 sixty miles from the nearest land. (Disco.) We found 

 them breeding at whale fish islands, but saw no more of 

 them after leaving the coast of Greenland." Dr. Richard- 

 son says this species breeds on all the Arctic coast of 

 America, and it is well-known to the naturalists of the 

 United States ; but Mr. Audubon remarks that few indi- 

 viduals are ever seen to the south of New York. 



M. Temminck, and other authorities on the continent 

 of Europe, mention that this bird is obtained occasionally 

 in Holland and Germany, but is rare in France, Switzer- 

 land, Provence, and Italy. 



The food, as may be inferred from what has been al- 

 ready stated, consists of small Crustacea, marine insects, 



