DUCK. 2-")\ 



more ; in this flight the flock takes a triangular shape, with the 

 point foremost, and as the bird which is first becomes soonest tired, 

 it has been seen to drop behind, and another to take its place. In 

 very small flocks are observed to follow one another in a direct line. 

 These birds seem to be general inhabitants of the Globe, being met 

 with from Lapland to the Cape of Good Hope;* frequent in Arabia,t 

 Persia, China, India, and Japan; J on the American Continent, 

 from Hudson's Bay to South Carolina. § They appear first at the 

 former in May, alight, and feed on the grassy spots; collect in flocks 

 of 20 or 30, and stay about three weeks, then separate into pairs, 

 and resort to the coasts to breed ; moult in July, at which time they 

 are knocked down by the inhabitants, as they cannot fly, though 

 some are saved alive, fed on corn, and thrive greatly ; about the 

 middle of August return to the marshes with their young, and 

 continue there till September, when they depart southward. || 



Independent of the above, our voyagers met with them in the 

 Straits of Magalhaen,^[ Port Egmont in Falkland Isles,** and Terra 

 del Fuego ;tt likewise in New-Holland ; though probably not at 

 New Zealand, as we find Capt. Cook making the inhabitants a 

 present of a pair, in order to breed. 



A.— Anas Anser, domesticus, Ind. Orn.'u. 842. /3. Lin. i. 197. Fn. suec. No. 114. /3. 



Scop. i. No. 69. Brun. No. 55. Kramer, 338. 4. $. Frisch, t. 157. Bris. vi. 



262. 1. Id. 8vo. ii. 432. Rail, 136. A. 3. Id. 121. 8. Will. 273. t. 75. Klein, 



129. 2. Id. Ov. 34. t. 19. f. 1. Borowsk. iii. p. 8. 

 Anser vulgaris, Gerin. v. t. 558, 559, 560. Naturf. xii. 133. 73. 

 Die Zahme Gans, Bechst. Deuts. ii. 596. 

 Oca domestica, Zinnan. Uov. 103. t. 17. f. 90. Cet. uc. Sard. 317. 



* Kolben. + Forschal, p. 3. No. 6. — Uees Araki. %K<Bmpfer. % Kalm. Trav. 



|| This is probably the sort called at Hudson's Bay Mistuhay Nesscock, Grey Goose, said 

 to weigh about nine pounds, the same which Kalm mentions the taming of by the Ameri- 

 cans, taking the chance of shooting them in the wing; these will often grow tame, though 

 old birds, and have been kept for a dozen years, but never familiarize with the tame ones, 

 nor lay eggs. — Trav. i. p. 209. 



% Hawkestc. Voy. ii. p. 31. ** Id. p. 65. ft Cook's Voy. iv. p. 43. 



K k2 



