AQUATIC FOWLS. 



251) 



rounded proportions, indicate an affinity to the 

 Coreopsis. The number of eggs laid is six 01 

 seven, the time of incubation about a month, 

 but it is difficult to name the exact period, from 

 the uncertainty of knowing the precise hour 

 when the process commences. The geese are 

 steady sitters. The young are lively little creat- 

 ures, running hither and thither, and tugging at 

 the blades of grass. Their ground-color is of a 

 dirty white. Their legs, feet, eyes, and short 

 stump of a bill, are black. They have a gray 

 spot on the crown of the head, gray patches on 

 the back and wings, and a yellowish tinge about 

 the fore part of the head. The old birds are 

 very gentle in their disposition and habits, and 

 are less noisy than most other geese. Water- 

 ton mentions an instance where the gander 

 paired with a Canada goose, a most dispropor- 

 tionably large mate for him to select. The 

 same thing has occurred in Norfolk, but in this 

 case the ludicrous union was altogether unpro- 

 ductive. 



" The young of the Barnacle goose, like those 

 of the Canada, when left entirely to the guidance 

 of their parents in this country, are apt to be 

 attacked by a sort of erysipelatous inflammation 

 of the head, similar to that from which the do- 

 mestic fowl suffers so much, and which proves 

 equally fatal. The eyelids swell until the bird 

 is blinded ; its sufferings must be extreme, if it 

 ever recover. The parts afflicted discharge copi- 

 ously a watery fluid. Frequent washing with 

 warm water and vinegar is the best remedy; 

 and cramming the bird to keep it alive must 

 be resorted to. Pills of rue-leaves, or a strong 

 decoction of rue, as a tonic, have been admin- 

 istered with apparent benefit. The disease 

 seems epidemic rather than contagious, though 

 we would not quite deny that it is so ; but of all 

 remedies, warmth and dryness, particularly at 

 night, are the most indispensable. Goslings 

 hatched about mid-summer in the Arctic regions 

 know not what it is to feel the absence of the 

 sun. A Scandinavian summer's night, even in 

 those latitudes where the sun does sink for an 

 hour beneath the horizon, differs from the day 

 in little else than stillness. There are no frosts 

 succeeding a broiling day, no chilling dews 

 which require hours of sunshine to remove, but 



all is, for the time, perpetually bright, and warm, 

 and genial. The difference between such a 

 climate and an English May must be seriously 

 felt by our tender little pets, whatever care we 

 may take to protect them. This clear, uninter- 

 rupted day, two or three months long, of settled, 

 delicious weather, gives a complete explanation 

 of the apparent paradox that birds should retire 

 to the regions, reported absolutely icy, of the 

 north for breeding purposes. But those who 

 have made the precincts of the Mediterranean 

 their elysium on earth, can have no conception 

 of the health, the vigor, the manly tone of mind 

 and body to be inspired from hyperborean 

 breezes." 



THE BRANT GOOSE. 



This and the Barnacle goose are the smallest 

 of their tribe yet introduced to our aquatic avi- 

 aries ; both being less in size than some ducks. 

 The Brant is considered one of our most savory 

 birds. In its transit from its breeding-places 

 near the Arctic sea, it appears in great numbers 

 on the coast of New York in the first and second 

 week in October, and continues passing on to 

 the south until December. Some few have 

 been observed to remain all winter. They arc 

 again seen with us in April and May, on their 

 way north, when they are in the best condition. 

 They feed exclusively on Zostera marina, or eel 

 grass, and other marine plants. The history 

 of its migrations is not yet complete. On the 

 Atlantic coast it has been observed from 73 to 

 38 north. On the Pacific, it appears to range 

 from Columbia River, where it was seen by Mr. 

 Townsend, to the 26th parallel. The Brant is 

 capable of domestication, and Audubon states 

 that it has been known to produce young in 

 captivity, but when or where, or on what au- 

 thority, is not stated. We are not advised of 

 its ever having been bred in any British collec- 

 tion. We have been informed that several gen- 

 tlemen on Long Island have attempted, and in 

 some cases have succeeded in domesticating the 

 Brant, which in its wild state is highly esteemed 

 for the exquisite delicacy of its flesh. Domes- 

 tication, however, does not appear to have im- 

 proved it much, and its small size will scarcely 

 render it, except for curiosity, an object of much 



