BERNICLE GOOSE. 
78 
dant on the east side of the island, each appearing 
only as comparative stragglers where their congeners 
are most numerous. It does not appear to range 
far inland, being a more maritime species than any 
of the preceding birds, resting by day on the shores, 
and commencing to fly with the twilight, to the 
feeding-grounds, which, where we have observed 
them, were extensive morses or flats partially inun- 
dated by the higher tides. 
On the shores of the Solway Firth they are at 
times very abundant ; and although it is not much 
practised, they are occasionally shot during their 
flight by waiting, or, as it is called on the North- 
umbrian coast, “ slaking.” They are of some repute 
for the table, and are superior to any of the “ true” 
wild-geese. The Bemicle is a bird also easily tamed, 
and several pairs are kept by the London Societies 
and at ICnowlsley ; but though eggs have been 
laid, no young have yet been produced. Mr. Yar- 
rell states that it is not uncommon in the shops of 
the London Poulterers from November to February. 
The correct distribution of the Bemicle elsewhere, 
seems scarcely ascertained ; in Europe it is not traced 
so far south as the last ; it is more frequent in tho 
north as a migratory bird, but in Lapland, where 
the last was abundant, this is rare. Its distribution 
to America is either uncertain or the species is very 
rare. In the Comparative List it is entered “ North- 
ern parts," but we have it not in the Northern 
Zoology, while the birds introduced under that 
name in the appendices to the previous arctic ex- 
