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While all breathless and silent crept softly delight
To listen with day to the SONGSTER of NIGHT:

and found in the nest, is most valued; that which is plucked from the dead bird is little esteemed.-Eider Down is imported chiefly from Iceland and other northern countries. It is collected from the nests of the birds; if the nest be deprived of its down, the female takes a fresh quantity from her breast; but if the nest be a second time deprived of its down, she cannot supply it, the male then takes from his breast the necessary lining. As incubation proceeds, the lining of down increases from day to day, and at last becomes so considerable in quantity, as to envelope and entirely conceal the eggs from view. The young, as soon as hatched, are conducted to the water, to which, sometimes from the situation of the nest, they are carried in the bill of the parent bird. The food of the eider-duck is muscles and other bivalve shell-fish. This bird is with difficulty reared in confinement. SELBY, in Zoological Journal, vol. 2, page 458.

Of the Clypeata, or SHOVELER, there are many varieties found in Europe, Asia, and America; it is about twenty-one inches long. The Clangula, or GOLDEN-EYE, is varied with black and white, head tumid violet; length about nineteen inches; inhabits as the last; found on the sea coasts of this country in the winter.-The Ferina, POCHARD, Dunbird, Poker, or Red-headed Widgeon, is found as the last; length nearly that of the golden-eye: colours varied, black, white, and grey; flesh good; frequent in the London market in the winter.

The Crecca, TEAL or Common Teal, inhabits Europe and Asia, and is well known in the marshy districts of this country; it breeds in Norfolk and most probably in other places of Great Britain; length fourteen inches; three varieties. Flesh good. The Penelope, WIDGEON, Whewer, or Whim, is found in most parts of Europe, breeds in the Northern regions, and visits England in the autumn; length twenty inches; it weighs about

In a thick, hazel copse he was warbling apart
Such notes as have never been equall'd by art.

twenty-four ounces; several varieties; flesh esteemed excellent; as well known as the teal, in the marshy regions of England.

The Querquedula, GARGANEY, or Summer Teal, is a beautiful bird, a little larger than the common teal, being seventeen inches long; found in this country in the winter; rarely seen after April, at which time it is taken, it is said, in the decoys of Somersetshire; found also throughout the north of Europe and Asia, as well as the Caspian sea, and some parts of the East Indies.

The Anser, or Goose, consists of two varieties: the Ferus, Grey Lag, Fen, or WILD GOOSE, is two feet nine inches long; the bill is large and elevated, of a flesh colour, tinged with yellow; head and neck ash-colour; breast and belly whitish, clouded with grey or ash-colour; back grey; legs flesh-colour, They reside in the fens the whole year, breed there, and hatch about eight or nine young; often taken and easily tamed. Towards winter they collect in great flocks. They are migratory On the continent, and also in some parts of England. They generally, when in flocks, fly in the form of a triangle. They have not the superiority of the wild-duck, tasting frequently of fish; the flesh is not, therefore, equal to the tame goose when properly fed.

The Mansuetus, or TAME GOOSE, is the preceding in a state of domestication, from which it varies in colour, but often more or less verging to grey; it is found frequently white, especially the males. The goose in general breeds only once a year; but if well kept, will often produce two broods in a season. It is said to be very long-lived; some have attained the age of 100 years. The goose sits on her eggs from twenty-seven to thirty days, and will cover from eleven to fifteen eggs. It scarcely needs to be observed, that the feathers of geese make excellent beds, for which they are plucked twice or more

That bird for whom many a harp hath been strung; Whose warble enraptures the old and the young ;

(sometimes five times) in a year. See the House Sparrow's Speech. Geese eat grass as well as many other vegetables, fish and worms. In the domestic state, one gander is sufficient for five geese. Besides the well known noise of geese called cackling, the gander is peculiarly distinguished by his hissing.

The Moschata or Muscovy Duck, is larger than the wild duck; length two feet two inches; bill red; body varied with black, brown, white, and green-gold; in a completely wild state, the whole plumage is black, glossed with violet or green; in our menageries, the plumage is sometimes white: domesticated in almost every country. Found in a wild state about the lake Baikal, in Asia, and in Brazil. When at large, it builds on the old stumps of trees, and perches during the heat of the day on the branches of those which are well clothed. Naturally very wild, yet when tamed, associates sometimes with the common duck, the produce a mongrel breed. Eggs rounder than the common duck; in young birds, inclined to green; they lay more eggs and sit oftener than the common duck, hence, and from its hardiness, the breed deserves encouragement. Flesh good. They exhale, a musky odour from the gland on the rump, whence the name is supposed to be derived rather than from the region of Muscovy-but this seems to me a forced construction for the etymology of its name.

The Boschas, WILD DUCK, called also sometimes Mallard, is found on lakes, in marshes, and at the mouths of salt water rivers in different countries; and in Lincolnshire and Somersetshire, where great numbers are taken in traps, called DECOYS ; in the west of England, Coy-POOLS. It breeds constantly in the marshes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and most probably in many other districts of this country. The TAME DUCK is the wild duck domesticated. There are several varieties; it is ge nerally of an ash-colour; the middle tail feathers of the male

With feeling's soft touch wakes the poet's sweet lyre, And the pensive, the tender, doth often inspire.

recurvate, the head and neck of whom, in most of the coloured tribe, are shaded with green; the bill is straight; collar white. Its colour varies by domestication. Feeds on a great variety of very different food, worms, snails, &c. The duck will cover from eleven to fifteen eggs; time of incubation thirty days. It scarcely needs to be observed, that the flesh of both the wild and the tame duck is good; the last, however, depending upon the mode in which it is fed. In the domestic state, one drake is sufficient for five ducks.

"In the pond

The finely chequer'd duck before her train
Rows garrulous."

Thomson's Spring.

DECOY POOLS were more frequent in the lowland districts of Somersetshire formerly than they are at present. In the parish of Mear, near Glastonbury, there were once several; at present, (1825,) not one. There is, however, one at Sharpham Park, the birth-place of Fielding; and another in Sedgemoor, near Walton. For this information I am indebted to my friend, the Rev. W. PHELPS of Wells, a gentleman whose proficiency in another department of Natural History, Botany, is well known.

The Valisineria, or CANVASS-BACK DUCK of WILSON, is two feet long, and weighs, when in good condition, three pounds or more; it approaches nearest to the Pochard of this country, but differs in size and the general whiteness of its plumage: the head is mostly of a glossy chesnut; back, scapulars, and tertials, white, with waving lines as if pencilled; beneath white, slightly pencilled; primaries and secondaries pale slate; flesh excellent. Arrives in the United States, from the north, in October: much sought after as food.

TO THE NIGHTINGALE.

Motacilla Luscinia, (LINN.)—Sylvia Luscinia, (LatHAM.)

THOU matchless, yet modest, harmonious BIRD!
Who hath not with rapture thy singing oft heard?
Who hath not oft snatch'd, what time midnight is still,
A moment to listen by copse or by rill ?— .

A moment, in May-time, when zephyr, not storm,
Gives the shadows of moon-light fantastical form?
Not content thou to charm us with song through the
night,

Through the day, too, thy notes oft resound with delight.

O say, are they sad-dost thou grieve while thy song, 'Midst the glade, wakens echo and warbles along? Or doth pleasure-doth mirth prompt thy wonderful lay, Or doth love-pensive love-its soft feeling display? Whatever the cause, be e'er hallowed thy note, That at midnight or moonlight distends thy sweet throat.(5)

(5) Order, PASSERES, (Linn.) NIGHTINGALE.

The NIGHTINGALE, Motacilla Luscinia, (Linn.) the Philomel or Philomela of the poets, Sylvia Luscinia, (Latham,) is about six inches long; its colours are very plain, the head and back being of a pale tawny, dashed with olive; the throat, breast, and upper part of the belly, of a light ash colour; the lower part of the belly almost white; wings and tail tawny-red. Female

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