EIDER DUCK. 611 



covered the use of its wing, we usually placed it at night, for greater 

 security, in a room near the one in which the man-servant slept. This ar- 

 rangement, however, did not prove agreeable to all the parties concerned. 

 Though the Brent was perfectly silent, yet the disposition for early rising 

 which it evinced by pattering about the floor sorely disturbed the Irish- 

 man's predilection for a lengthened nap. To relieve himself from the 

 annoyance, early one morning, when he thought there was no dan- 

 ger of detection, he let the bird free. It, however, no sooner found it- 

 self loose than it began to exult most loudly in its liberty, and my mo- 

 ther, who was awakened by the singular and unusual noise, rose and 

 lifted the blind, just as it took wing for the water, where doubtless it 

 soon rejoined its former companions. The time it was in our posses- 

 sion was too short to admit of many observations being made on its 

 habits. We remarked, however, that it was by no means deficient in 

 courage. When approached, it would lower its head, writhe its glossy 

 serpent-like neck, and, with open mouth, protruded tongue, and eyes 

 flashing with rage, prepare to defend itself, emitting at the same time a 

 strong hissing sound. This was the only noise which it made while in 

 our possession, and until the morning of its departure it was never 

 heard to use the hoarse call of the species." 



EIDER DUCK. 



FULIGULA MOLLISSIMA, BoNAF. 

 PLATE CCXLVI. Vol. III. p. 342. 



Adult Male, from Dr T. M. Brewer. The roof of the mouth is 

 broadly and deeply concave ; the posterior aperture of the nares linear, 

 10 twelfths long, margined with two rows of very pointed papillae. 

 Tongue 2 inches long, convex above, with a large median groove, 

 fleshy, very thick, with a semicircular thin-edged horny tip ; the 

 breadth at the base 4| twelfths, at the tip 4 twelfths ; the sides with 

 two longitudinal series of bristles. The width of the mouth is 1 inch 

 3 twelfths. The oesophagus is 10^ inches long, for 4? inches, its width 



