File:The birds of America - from drawings made in the United States and their territories (1840) (14565117769).jpg

Identifier: birdsofamericafr06audu (find matches)
Title: The birds of America : from drawings made in the United States and their territories
Year: 1840 (1840s)
Authors: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 Bowen, John T., ca. 1801-1856?, lithographer
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: New York : Published by J.J. Audubon Philadelphia : J.B. Chevalier
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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they are sixteen, and it is probable that the full number iseighteen, as the two middle ones seem to be wanting. THE BERNACLE GOOSE. tAnseb. leucopsis, Bechst. PLATE CCCLXXVIII Male and Female. Several old gunners on the coast of Massachusetts and Maine, who wereEnglishmen by birth, assured me that they had killed Bernacles there, andthat these birds brought a higher price in the markets than the CommonBrent Geese. The Prince of Musignano states in his Synopsis that they arevery rare and accidental in the United States, and Mr. Nuttall says thatthey are mere stragglers there. For my part, I acknowledge that I nevermet with one of them, either along the coast or in the interior, although Ihave seen beautiful mounted specimens in various parts. Being neitheranxious to add to our Fauna, nor willing unnecessarily to detract from it, Ihave figured a pair of these birds, with the hope that ere long, the assertionsof the gunners, and those of the authors above mentioned, may be abundantly r-
Text Appearing After Image:
THE BERNACLE GOOSE. 201 verified by the slaughter of many Geese. In the mean time I must furtherconfess my ignorance of the habits of the Bernacle. Mr. Selbt thus speaks of it in the second volume of his Illustrations:—The Bernicle is amongst the number of our winter visitants, annuallyresorting in vast numbers, upon the approach of autumn, to the westernshores of Britain, and to the north of Ireland. Upon the Lancashire coast,the Solway Frith, &c. it is very abundant; frequenting the marshy groundsthat are occasionally covered by the spring-tides, and such sands as producethe sea-grasses and plants upon which it feeds. Upon the eastern andsouthern shores of Britain it is of rare occurrence, its place being suppliedby its nearly allied congener, the Brent Goose (Anser Brent a); which againis as rarely seen upon the opposite coast of the island. Like the rest of thegenus, the Bernicle is a very wary bird, and can only be approached by themost cautious manoeuvres. It is sometimes

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