ANATIDJE. 463 



with one of the Wild Ducks, but I believe quite 

 without success, except in its own imagination ; as 

 far as that was concerned it seemed to consider 

 itself perfectly successful, and attached itself to its 

 own Duck's brood from the time they were hatched, 

 until by a sort of fussy kindness and attention it 

 had succeeded in killing them all. 



The Bernicle Goose is a winter visitor to these 

 islands, and appears to be more numerous on the 

 western coast and in Ireland than on the eastern 

 coast, where its place is supplied by the Brent 

 Goose. The food of this Goose appears to be 

 mostly vegetable : grass it eats in almost any 

 quantity; leaves, shoots and roots of vegetables, 

 particularly such as have been watered by the sea, 

 and contain particles of salt, young shoots of rye 

 and wheat. Judging from the two species in con- 

 finement it does not appear to be so partial to these 

 as the Brent Goose. It devours also a good many 

 insects and their larvse with its food.* 



I can find no account of the nest of this bird, and 

 but little seems to be known of its habits in the 

 breeding season. 



The Bernicle is a handsome showy bird. The 

 beak is black; the irides dark brown; the space 

 from the beak to the eye black ; the forehead, 

 cheeks, chin and upper part of the throat are white ; 



* Meyer's ' British Birds,' vol. vi., p. 27. 



