150 BRITISH BIRDS. 



These birds are pretty numerous at Davis' Straits 

 and about the mouth of Hudson's river. Although 

 they are very fat and plump, they are extremely 

 active, and swim about nimbly in quest of their food, 

 which consists chiefly of the slimy substance called 

 whale's food, so frequently seen floating on the sur- 

 face of the waters of the northern seas. They are 

 occasionally met with on the British shores, but not 

 -so frequently as the following species. 



