ClafsII. BERN AC LE. 451 



IV. The BERNACLE. 



L'Oye nonnette ou Cravant. Gerard 'j Herbal. 1587. 



Belon a<v. 158. La Bernache. BriJJbn av. vi. 300. 



Brenta, velBernicla. Gefner av. Anas Erythropus (mas,) Lin. 



109, 110. Jift. 197. 



Aldr. a--u. Hi. 73. Fiaellgas. ivz« w . £«&; y/>. 116. 



Bernacle, or Clakis. Wit. orn. Anfer brendinus. Caii opufc. 87. 



Rail fyn. a<v. I 37. Cran/zs Greenl. i. 8o„ 



Sibb.hiji. Scot, zi' Br.Zool.l^o. 



THIS bird weighs about five pounds; the length Defer, 

 is two feet one inch; the breadth four feet five 

 inches; the bill is black, and only one inch three- 

 eights long ; the head is fmall ; the forehead and 

 cheeks white ; from the bill to the eyes is a black line ; 

 the hind part of the head, the whole neck, and upper 

 part of the bread and back are of a deep black; the 

 whole under fide of the body, and coverts of the tail 

 are white ; the back, fcapulars and coverts of the 

 wings, are beautifully barred with grey, black, and 

 white ; the tail is black ; the legs of the fame color, 

 and fmall. 



Thefe birds appear in vaft flocks during winter, on 

 the north weft coafts of this kingdom : are very fby 

 and wild ; but on being taken, grow as familiar as 

 our tame geefe in a few days ; in February they quit 

 our fhores, and retire as far as Lapland, Greenland and 

 even Spitsbergen to breed *. 



Thefe are the birds that about two hundred years 

 ago were beleived to be generated out of wood, or 



* Aman, Acad, iv. 585, Bwent's-voy. jg. 



rather 



