146 AMERICAN GAME. 
in fall, lusty health, rejuvenated, and exulting in the ap- 
proach of their summer love-making, they are in their 
full perfection of plumage, and their utmost excellence 
for the table. There is no Long Islander, and few Jer- 
seymen, who are not fully awake to the preéminent merits 
of 4 May Brant—for it is about the fifteenth of that 
genial month, when they for the first time reappear 
among us, the youth of the past year now in full adult 
plumage, and not to be distinguished from the adults. 
They tarry, however, at this period but for a few days, 
ere they are again up and off to the northward; still so 
eager are their pursuers at this season, that short as is 
their stay the havoc made among them is yet not incon- 
siderable. 
At this season the Brant weighs about four pounds,” 
and measures two feet in length from bill to tail, and 
three feet six from tip to tip of the extended wings. The 
bill is black, rather high at the base, the nostril medial. 
The head, and the whole length of the neck, with the 
exception of a white oblong patch on either side of the 
throat, rich velvety black; front part of the breast cine- 
rious brown, each feather broadly margined with grayish - 
-white. The upper parts blackish brown, each feather 
margined with lighter brown; sides gray, margined with 
white ; abdomen and vent pure white; quills and pri- 
mary coverts dark blackish gray. Rump and middle 
tail feathers black, rest of the tail grayish white. Irides 
hazel; legs dusky. The female is smaller than the male, 
