ANATID/E. 219 



of Asia, and the neighbourhood of Hudson's Bay. This 

 species was, as lately as 1636, and in a published account, 

 declared to have its origin from those singular shell-covered 

 cirrhipedous creatures called Bernacles, which are often at- 

 tached in thousands to floating timber by means of long, 

 flexible, worm-like stalks or peduncles ; and the memory of 

 this absurd invention, it will be perceived, is still preserved 

 in the name which it bears. The eggs are white. Were 

 the breeding habits of the different species of Geese accu- 

 rately observed and described, they would probably be found 

 very nearly to coincide in the leading particulars, but the 

 character of the remote wilds to which they resort for the 

 purpose of incubation, renders it difficult to obtain much 

 satisfactory information respecting those habits. 



THE BRENT GOOSE. Anser brenta. This is also a winter 

 visitor in Britain ; but, as the Bernicle Goose is distributed 

 along the western coasts of our island, and is little known 

 along the eastern, except as a straggler, so, on the contrary, 

 the Brent Goose frequents in equal if not greater numbers 

 the eastern and southern coasts, and is little known upon 

 the western. In its habits the present species is to a great 

 extent maritime, indeed Mr. Audubon considers it exclu- 

 sively a maritime goose, but easily tamed, feeding upon 



