126 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS. 



The warbling cock Blackbird, with deep yellow bill, 

 Was pleas'd his loud notes in rich cadence to trill ; 



which it has all the graceful action. The ancients supposed 

 the Black Swan an imaginary or extremely rare bird. See the 

 second part. 



Of the Goose tribe, the following may be named : 



The Cygnoides^ Chinese Goose, Museovy Goose, or Swan 

 Goose, inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa ; it is about three feet 

 long : three varieties 5 one from Guinea, distinguished by its 

 erect gait and screaming, is now plentiful in this country, and 

 said to unite well with the common goose. 



The Gambensis, or Sparwinged Goose, inhabits Africa ; 

 size of the common goose. — The Indica, or Barrel-headed 

 Goose, is a native of India ; flesh good. — The Melanotus, or 

 Black-headed Goose, a native of Coromandel, is two feet 

 nine inches long. — The Grandis or Great Goose of Siberia, 

 is the size of the Cygnus ; body dusky, beneath white ; bill 

 black, legs scarlet. Weighs from twenty to thirty pounds. 

 Found in Siberia and Kamtschatka; where they are taken in 

 great numbers ; flesh, it is presumed, good. The Hyperborea 

 or Snow Goose, of Europe and North America, is thirty-two 

 inches long; general colour white, except the ten first quils, 

 which are black with white shafts; the young are blue till one 

 year old. The most numerous and the most stupid of the goose 

 tribe. Flies in vast flocks. — Abounds in Hudson's Bay. The 

 Leucoptera, or Bustard Goose of the Falkland Islands, is 

 from thirty-two to forty inches long ; flesh good. 



The Tadorna, Shieldrake, Sheldrake, (or rather perhaps) 

 Schelt-drake, Burrow, or Barra-IXuck, Bar gander, St. 

 George's Duck, Pirennet, or Sly Goose, has the body variegated 

 with white, black, and light brown, or russet; flesh rancid; eggs 

 many, good ; lays in rabbits' burrows near the sea-shore, whence 

 probably one of its names ; size of a common duck; inhabits 

 Europe and Asia. Seen at the mouths of our salt-water rivers 



