given group, whether large or small, provided we neglect analysis. It is a most
extraordinary thing that one naturalist, rejecting all theory, and confining himself
to facts, should actually have marked out, so far as the British species are concerned,
their circular succession, totally unconscious o f having done so, while
another, following theory and overlooking facts, should have produced two complete
quinarian circles, both of which, if there be any truth in Mr. Yarrell’s
inferences (from internal structure), or our own researches (directed only to
external form and habits), are entirely artificial.—Sw.
A N ATINiE. Swains.
Gen. Anas, Dendronessa, Mareca.
The Anatime feed on soft substances, such as fresh-water insects and tender
aquatic plants, which they procure near the surface, or, aided by the length of
their necks, at the bottom, in shallow muddy places; and worms and slugs,
which they search for among the grass. By day they resort to small lakes and
rivers, and in the night retire to the fields. They are strong and swift on the
wing, and are watchful birds, that seldom dive to escape pursuit, unless when
moulting; but when disturbed fly away, making at the outset a circle in the air
to survey the cause of their alarm.
D is t r ib u t io n .—Arms clypeata and A. (Dafila) acuta frequent chiefly the clear
lakes of the northern districts, and breed in the Barren Grounds, being found
in numbers in the more southern woody districts in spring and autumn only.—
A . (Boschas) domestica, A . (Chauliodus) strepera, and Mareca Americana, breed in
the woody districts up to their most northern limits, in latitude 68°.—A . (Boschas)
crecca is abundant to the extremity of the continent, both in the woody and
barren districts.—A . (Boschas) discors, though very plentiful on the Saskatchewan,
was not observed farther north than the fifty-eighth parallel; while Dendronessa
sponsa seldom goes to the northward of the fifty-fourth degree of latitude, and
is rare even to the southward of that parallel.
* Through the kindness of the Rev. Mr. Booth, of Friskney, in Lincolnshire, I procured the following interesting,
information respecting some of the Anatidse from an intelligent keeper of a decoy in his neighbourhood:—
“ Skelton is unacquainted with the habits of the Gadwall; but he tells me that the Widgeon and Pintail do hot
willingly dive. Of course, if driven to it, they can, but they do not dive for their food, and though in play they sometimes
splash under water, they never remain beneath the surface like the Pochard.—With respect to food: the Mallard,
Pintail, and Teal frequent rich flooded lands, ‘ twittering with their nebs in the soil, and sucking out its strength
but the Widgeon feeds quite differently, being ‘ an amazing fowl to graze, a strange eater of grass' It is especially
fond of 4 fluttergrass ’ Glyceria aguatica vel fluitans ?), which it crops on the surface, but it likewise eats many other
herbs. When the decoy has been so full of Widgeons that they have devoured every blade on the landings, Skelton
has taken advantage of their absence in the night', when they resort to the green salt marshes on the sea-coast, and
laid down sods pared from the fields, on which they readily graze. In common, however, with the Mallard, Teal, and
Pintail, they are fond of willow-weed seeds (Epilobium ?), with.which he feeds all the fowl in the decoy, as they prefer
it to oats and every other kind of grain.”—R.
FULIGULINiE. Swains.
Gen. Somateria, Oidemia, Fuligula, Clangula, Harelda.
The birds of this sub-family frequent the sea and deep parts of fresh-water
lakes and rivers. They walk with difficulty, but dive well, and take their prey,
which consists chiefly of insects, mollusca, and small fry, from some depth. Most
of them endeavour to escape from danger by swimming away or diving, instead
of taking wing.
D is t r ib u t io n .—Somateria spectabilis and mollissima are peculiarly Sea-ducks,
and are never, I believe, seen in fresh-water. Their food consists mostly of the
soft mollusca so abundant in the Arctic Sea. They are only partially migratory,
the older birds seldom moving farther southwards in winter than to permanent
open water. Some Eider Duchs winter on the coast of New Jersey; but the
King Ducks have not been seen to the southward of the fifty-ninth parallel.
Oidemia perspidllata, fusca, and nigra seek their food principally in the sea,
and their flesh is high-flavoured and oily. The two former breed on the Arctic
coasts, migrate southwards in company with Clangula glacialis, halting both on
the shores of Hudson’s Bay and on the lakes of the interior as long as they
remain open, and feeding then on tender shelly mollusca.—The 0 . nigra frequents
the shores of Hudson’s Bay, breeding between the fiftieth and sixtieth
parallels. It was not seen by us in the interior.
Fuligula valisneria, ferina, marila, and ruftorqu.es, breed in all parts of the
fur-countries, from the fiftieth parallel to their most northern limits, and associate
much on the water with the Anatime.— F. rubida frequents the small lakes of
the interior up to the fifty-eighth parallel. It is very unwilling to take wing, and
dives remarkably well. In swimming, it carries its tail erect, and, from the
shortness of its neck, nearly as high as its head, which at a little distance causes
it to appear as if it had two heads.
Clangula vulgaris and albeola frequent the rivers and fresh-water lakes throughout
the fur-countries in great numbers. They are by no means shy, allowing
the sportsman to approach sufficiently near ; but dive so dexterously at the flash
of the gun or the twanging of a bow, and are consequently so difficult to kill,
that the natives say they are endowed with some supernatural power. Hence
their appellation of “ Conjuring ” or “ Spirit Ducks.”gC. Barrovii has hitherto
been found only in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. Its manners do not
differ from those of the common Golden-eye.—C. histrionica haunts eddies under
cascades, and rapid streams. It takes wing at once when disturbed, and is very
vigilant. We never saw it associating with any other Duck, and it is a rare bird.
Harelda glacialis is abundant on the Arctic Sea. It associates with the