190 ANSERINE. 



root into the sea, and after immersion re-appeared on the sur- 

 face of the water a complete bernacle. However, if they chanced 

 to fall upon the soil or rocks below, they shrivelled up, and, 

 alas ! for the poor bernacles, they never came to life. Another 

 age, of equal intelligence, chose the Cirrepede adhering in 

 clusters to decayed timber and the bottom of ships to be the 

 germ of the bernacle. And, strange as it may appear, this 

 idea is still preserved by the fishermen living around our 

 coasts. 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 183 THE BRENT GOOSE. 



Anser brenta. Fleming. 



Oie cravant. Temm. 



Barnacle. 



OF all the Irish Anserinae this species is the most widely dis- 

 tributed, occurring in some localities in the greatest possible 

 abundance. 



The smallness of size and bill, when compared with the 

 true wild geese, and the smooth feathers of the neck, have 

 induced many to believe they indicate a close affinity to the 

 duck tribe, for which reason some authors have removed them 

 to a sub-genus, u Bernacla." 



We may observe that the common name for this species in 

 Ireland is the barnacle, a name entirely erroneous, as the pre- 

 ceding bird, differing in size and marking, is named the bar- 

 nacle. However, in some parts of the coast the differences 

 are understood, and they are respectively known as " Wex- 

 ford barnacle" and " Norway barnacle." 



It is strange that it occurs with us in a similar manner as 

 in England, frequenting chiefly the eastern coasts, their place 

 being supplied on the western coasts of both countries by the 

 true bernacle. The talented author of " Wild Sports of the 

 West" mentions the brent occurring in flocks of hundreds, 

 while the bernacle occurs in such numbers as to blacken con- 

 siderable extents of strand. If we but substitute brent for 

 bernacle, we have a correct estimate of their numbers on our 

 eastern coast. 



In the depth of winter their appearance on the coast causes 

 the entire shore to seem alive. The same locality which a 

 few months previously was almost deserted, except by a few 

 shore-birds, or the vociferous screams of a flock of u silver- 

 winged" terns, all becomes transformed. The zephyr is 



