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HINTS FOR COLLECTING WATER-BIRDS. 



Wild geese exhibit so little variety that one of each sort will be suf- 

 ficient. The two species, the grey goose (Anser palustris) and the 

 bear goose (A.ferus) are apt to be confounded ; they are however easily 

 discriminated by the bill. The bernacles (Anser Bernicld) I have 

 noticed a considerable difference in ; but whether mere variety, or 

 whether the young are not perfect the first winter, I do not know. 

 The brent goose {A, Brenta) varies in size, the smaller ones are the 

 females; the young have the feathers of the back and wing coverts 

 edged with brown, but there is scarcely difference enough in them to 

 require more than one specimen. The sheldrake ( Tradena vulpansa) 

 must have three, a male, female, and the young ; and if the male be 

 got in the spring it will, I think, be found brighter in colour than if 

 killed in winter. 



The several species of ducks differ much in sex : the females of most 

 are clad in the same plain garb, and the young males in general much 

 resemble them. A young of all should be obtained. 



A mallard and duck of the Anas Boschas will be sufficient, in addi- 

 tion to a young one. A male and female pintail {Dafila caudacuta) ; 

 the female of this species may readily be distinguished from others by 

 its more slender and elegant shape. I believe the male acquires his full 

 plumage after the first moult. A male, female, and young male 

 wigeon (Mareca Jistularis) will be required. The old male has the 

 whole of the wing coverts of a pure white. The eider duck (Somateria 

 mollissima) , being two or three years acquiring perfect plumage, in 

 addition to the old, at least two young males will be necessary in dif- 

 ferent degrees of perfection. It is useless particularly to notice the 

 scoup duck, golden eye, and others, as they ail vary in the same manner, 

 and the like number of specimens should be got of each. The young 

 males may soon be recognised; if examined, a feather or two in different 

 parts will be seen breaking out into the gay markings of the old, at 

 first hardly perceptible, but gradually increasing till complete. 



Care is requisite in stuffing these birds not to make them larger than 

 natural; to attend to the shape of the back, and not make the bird 

 round); and, though last not least, to avoid stretching the neck beyond 

 its proper proportions, as their skins will extend a great deal beyond the 

 real size of the birds. 



The goosander {Mergus merganser}, though by no means an un- 

 common bird, is not often seen in its perfect plumage, those that are 

 killed being generally young, or dun divers, as they are called. We 

 have them here, but it is a rare thing to see an old bird ; perhaps the 

 greater part of the old do not come so far south. 



