243 
This species has a callous protuberance, 
or blunt spur upon the elbow, or front 
joint of the wing, the legs and feet are ve- 
ry thick and short, and have a stumpy 
appearance. They are easily domesti- 
cated. 
Temminck observes that cc the birds of 
the first year have a large blackish band 
between the beak and the eye, formed by 
small spots, and also some blackish points 
upon the forehead ; the feathers of the 
back and wings terminated by a red band ; 
the sides more of an ash-coloured tint, and 
that deeper than in the old birds, the feet 
of a very dark brown. The females are 
smaller than the males." 
We have seen specimens of the Bernacle 
of a much darker colour than the one 
from whence our drawing was taken. 
The history of this species has been 
rendered remarkable by the marvellous ac- 
counts which were in former times related 
concerning their propagation, or rather 
their growth. Almost all the old Naturalists 
as well Ornithologists as others, assert 
that they were produced from shells which 
