82 anatiDjE, 



but the old male wigeoii and male pintails liere cliangcd in like 

 manner^ yielding up all the beautiful characteristic colours and 

 markings of their sex (except that the white patch on the wigeon^'s 

 wing remained unchanged), to assume the dull hue of the females 

 of their respective species, from which they diflcred only in the 

 colours being of a darker shade — at the ordinary autumnal moult 

 they all again assumed their proper male attire. Towards the 

 end of May, the mallards' masque commenced ; and by the middle 

 or end of September, they were themselves again. 



Having frequently mentioned Anaticlce kept on the ponds at 

 the Tails, near Belfast, by Mr. Sinclaire, it may be desirable to 

 notice all the species which were there at one period ; viz. : — 

 Bewick's swan. 

 Brent goose. 

 Bernacle. 

 Mallard. 

 Shelldrake. 

 Wigeon. 

 Teal. 

 Scaup. 

 Tufted duck. 

 Pochard. 



Summer duck of North America, Bendronessa sponsa. 

 The above were kept on an enclosed pond. There were at large the 

 Tame swan. ''^ 



Canada goose. 

 Egyptian goose. 

 Once, when walking round the aquatic menagerie in the middle 

 of June, I remarked that nearly all the plants of Equisetum fluvia- 

 tile or Telmateia (of which there were many) had been divested 

 of their branches by these birds, though, excepting grass, they 

 had not eaten of any other of the numerous plants growing within 

 the enclosure. 



The following is extracted from the journal of the late Mr. 

 Templeton : — 



"In the spring of 1807, 1 received, from John Sinclaire, Esq., 



