WILD FOWL. 
71 
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 very large bodies, and making an extensive spiral 
course of 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 circles to avoid passing over a projecting 
point of land. In these aerial routs, 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. Flocks 
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- 
leafed marine plant of a bright-green color, 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 shell-fish. 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 howling, 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-broke, 
the Brant will go one hundred yards under water at a stride, and 
is considered, under such circumstances, one of the most diffi¬ 
cult birds to kill. 
“ About the 15th or 20th of May they reappear on their way 
North, but seldom stop long unless driven in by tempestuous 
weather. The breeding place of the Brant is supposed to be 
very far to the North. They are common at Hudson’s Bay, 
very numerous in winter on the coasts of Holland and Ireland, 
and called in Shetland Harra-Geese, from their frequenting the 
