215 
and in a Roman Catholic country must be 
in great request to vary the repast on a fast 
day. The fishy flavour which in that coun- 
try constitutes their value, in this, occasions 
their being rejected from the tables of the 
poor, as well as the rich ; otherwise they 
might be caught in the same way, and per- 
haps in as great an abundance on some 
parts of the British Coast. 
The whole day seems to be spent by 
these birds, between diving, and flying to 
small distances : they fly so near the 
surface of the water as frequently to dip 
their legs therein. 
Nature has supplied the Scoter with a 
large muscular and strong gizzard, for the 
purpose of triturating their food.#* 
It was formerly believed that these birds 
as well as the Bernacles were engendered 
in shells and in rotten wood. — We have 
before observed that, there is nothing re- 
markable in the formation of the trachea 
of this species. 
* In a state of confinement Ibis species have been 
fed upon soaked bread which appeared to agce with it 
tolerably well. 
