THE BRANT. 6 5 
having the upper parts lighter, and the front, cheeks, and 
chin whitish. These appear evidently a variety of the brant, 
probably young birds: what strengthens this last opinion is 
the fact, that none of them are found so marked on their 
return northward in the spring. 
The brant is expected at Ege Harbour, on the coast of 
New Jersey, about the Ist of October, and has been sometimes 
seen as early as the 20th of September. The first flocks 
generally remain in the bay a few days, and then pass on to 
the south. On recommencing their journey, they collect in 
one large body, and, making an extensive spiral course, some 
miles in diameter, rise to a great height in the air, and then 
steer for the sea, over which they uniformly travel; often 
making wide circuits to avoid passing over a projecting point 
of land. In these aerial routes, they have been met with 
many leagues from shore, travelling the whole night. Their 
line of march very much resembles that of the Canada goose, 
with this exception, that frequently three or four are crowded 
together in the front, as if striving for precedency. F locks 
continue to arrive from the north, and many remain in the 
bay till December, or until the weather becomes very severe, 
when these also move off southwardly. During their stay, 
they feed on the bars at low water, seldom or never in the 
marshes ; their principal food being a remarkably long and 
broad-leaved marine plant, of a bright green colour, which 
adheres to stones, and is called by the country people sea- 
cabbage; the leaves of this are sometimes eight or ten inches 
broad, by two or three feet in length: they also eat small 
shellfish. They never dive, but wade about, feeding at low 
water. During the time of high water, they float in the bay 
in long lines, particularly in calm weather. Their voice is 
hoarse and honking, and, when some hundreds are screaming 
together, reminds one of a pack of hounds in full cry. They 
often quarrel among themselves, and with the ducks, driving 
the latter off their feeding ground. Though it never dives in 
search of food, yet, when wing-broken, the brant will go one 
VOL. IIL. “ 
