THE BERNICLE GOOSE. 399 
other long-legged birds, the Flamingo has a habit of standing on one leg, 
the other being drawn up and hid- 
den among the plumage. 
The curious beak of this bird is 
orange-yellow at the base, and 
black at the extremity ; and the 
cere is flesh-coloured. When in 
full plumage the colour is brilliant 
scarlet, with the exception of the 
quill feathers, which are jetty black. 
A full-grown bird will measure from 
five to six feet in height. 
THE BERNICLE GOOSE is found 
on our shores, and seems to prefer 
the western to the eastern coasts. 
The name of Bernicle Goose 
is given to this bird because the 
olden voyagers thought that it was 
produced from the conmon bar- 
nacle shell, and this notion had 
taken so strong a hold of their 
minds that they published several 
engravings representing the bird 
in various stages of its transfor- 
mation. 
The Bernicle Goose generally 
assembles in large flocks and 
haunts large salt-marshes near the 
coast, and feeds on grasses and 
various alge. It is a very wary 
bird, and not easily approached. 
The eggs of this species are large MW eZ. 
and white. The flesh is considered FLAMINGO.—(Phenicopterus ruver.) 
good. The bill of the Bernicle 
Goose is black, with a reddish streak on each side. The cheeks and throat 
are white, a black streak runs from the beak to the eye, the upper parts are 
bold and marked with black and white, 
and the lower parts are white. It is 
rather a small bird, the total length 
barely exceeding two feet. 
THE beaut-ful SwANS now come 
before our notice. There are nine or 
ten species of these fine birds, which 
are well represented in the British 
Isles, four species being acknowledged || 
as English birds. 
Our most familiar species is the 
TAME or MUTE Swav, so called from 
its silent habits. This elegant and 
graceful bird has long been partially 
domesticated throughout England, and 
enjoys legal protection to a great ex- 
tent ; heavy penalties being proclaimed 
against anyone who kills a Swan with- 
out a legal right. , 
BERNICLE GOosE.—(Bernicla leucopsis.) 
