weighs twenty pounds, the other only weighs sixteen pounds and three quarters. The colour of the tame Swan is all over white; that of the wild bird is along the back and the tips of the wings of ash colour; the tame Swan is

mute, the wild one has a sharp loud cry, particularly while flying. But these are slight differences, compared to what are found upon dissection. The wild species is found in most of the northern regions, in America, and probably in the East Indies.

The BLACK SWAN. New Holland, that country of animal wonders, presents us with a bird which the ancients imagined could not possibly have existence. The Black Swan is exactly similar in its form to the Swan of the old world, but is somewhat smaller in size. Every part of its plumage is perfectly black, with the exception of the primary and a few of the secondary quill feathers, which are

white. The bill is of a bright red above, is crossed at the anterior part by a whitish band; is of a grayish white on the under part; and, in the male, is surmounted at the base by a slight protuberance. The legs and feet are of a

dull ash colour. Black Swans, in their wild state, are extremely shy. They are found in Van Dieman's Land, New South Wales, and on the western coast of New Holland; and are generally seen swimming on a lake, in flocks consisting of eight or nine individuals. On being disturbed, they fly off in a direct line one after the other, like wild geese.

THE GOOSE,

In its domestic state, exhibits a variety of colours. The WILD GOOSE, or GRAY LAG, always retains the same marks the whole upper part is ash coloured; the breast and belly are of a dirty white; the bill is narrow at the

base, and at the tip it is black; the legs are of a saffron colour, and the claws black. It frequently weighs about ten pounds.

The Wild Goose is supposed to breed in the northern parts of Europe; and, in the beginning of winter, to descend into more temperate regions. If they come to the ground by day, they range themselves in a line, like cranes; and seem rather to have descended for rest, than for other refreshment. When they have sat in this manner for an hour or two, we have heard one of them, with a loud long note, sound a kind of charge, to which the rest punctually attended, and they pursued their journey with renewed alacrity. Their flight is very regularly arranged; they either go in a line abreast, or in two lines, joining in an angle in the middle.

The common TAME GOOSE is nothing more than the Wild Goose in a state of domestication. It is sometimes found white, though much more frequently verging to gray; and it is a dispute among men of taste, which should have the preference.

These birds, in rural economy, are an object of attention and profit, and are no where kept in such vast quantities

as in the fens of Lincolnshire in England; several persons there having as many as a thousand breeders. They are bred for the sake of their quills and feathers; for which they are stripped while alive, once in the year for their quills, and no less than five times for the feathers: the first plucking commences about Lady Day, for both; and the other four between Lady Day and Michaelmas. It is said that in general the birds do not suffer much from this operation; except cold weather sets in, which then kills great numbers of them. The old Geese submit quietly to be plucked, but the young ones are very noisy and unruly. The possessors, except in this cruel practice, treat their birds with kindness, lodging them very often even in the same room with themselves.

These Geese breed in general only once a year, but if well kept they sometimes hatch twice in a season. During their sitting, each bird has a space allotted to it, in rows of wicker pens placed one above another; and it is said that the gozzard, or gooseherd, who has the care of them, drives the whole flock to water twice a day, and bringing them back to their habitations, places every bird in its own nest. The numbers of Geese which are sent to London for sale, are enormous, two or three thousand being frequently seen in a drove, and some droves having even contained more than nine thousand.

The BEAN GOOSE is a bird of passage, and arrives in Lincolnshire about autumn, and departs in May. It weighs about six pounds. The bill is smaller than in the preceding species. The head and neck are brown, the back and wings ash colour, and the breast and belly dirty white. It feeds much on the young corn, beans, &c. whence its

name.

The BARNACLE differs in some respects from all these; being less than any of them, with a black bill, much shorter than any of the preceding. It is scarcely necessary to combat the idle error of this bird's being bred from the shell sticking to ships' bottoms; it is well known to be hatched from an egg, in the ordinary manner, and to differ in very few particulars from all the rest of its kind. The upper parts of the plumage are black, the forehead, chin, and all the under parts white.

The BRENT GOOSE is still less than the former, and not bigger than a Muscovy duck, except that the body is longer. The head, neck, and upper part of the breast, are black; about the middle of the neck, on each side, are two small spots, or lines of white, which together appear like a ring. Both this and the preceding frequent the coasts of England in winter; and in some seasons have been so numerous, on the coasts of Piccardy, as to become a pest to the inhabitants.

CANADA GOOSE.

THIS is the common Field Goose of the United States, universally known over the whole country; whose regular periodical migrations are the sure signals of returning spring, or approaching winter. I have never yet visited any quarter of the country, where the inhabitants are not familiarly acquainted with the passing and repassing of the Wild Geese. The general opinion here is, that they are on their way to the lakes to breed; but the inhabitants on the confines of the great lakes are equally ignorant with ourselves of the particular breeding places of those birds. There, their journey north is but commencing, and how far it extends it is impossible for us at present