Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

in Europe, particularly in Russia; but it seems to have deserted those

coasts.

In the island of Manilla, the pelicans are of a rose color, and in America they are brown. They are all torpid and inactive to the last degree, so that nothing can exceed their indolence but their gluttony. It is only from the stimulations of hunger that they are excited to labor; for otherwise they would continue always in fixed repose. When they have raised themselves about thirty or forty feet above the surface of the sea, they turn their head, with one eye downwards, and continue to fly in that posture. As soon as

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

they perceive a fish sufficiently near the surface, they dart down upon it with the swiftness of an arrow, seize it with unerring certainty, and store it up in their pouch. They then rise again, though not without great labor, and continue hovering and fishing, with their head on one side, as before.

This work they continue, with great effort and industry, till their bag is full; and then they fly to land, to devour and digest, at leisure, the fruits of their industry. This, however, it would appear, they are not long performing; for, towards night, they have another hungry call; and they again, reluctantly, go to labor.

Sometimes, they are said to assemble in large numbers, to act in concert, and to manœuvre with great skill, for the purpose of securing an abundant prey. This they accomplish by forming a circular line, and gradually nar

rowing the included space, till the fishes are driven within a narrow compass. They then all plunge into the water at once, on a given signal, fill their pouches with the spoil, and then return to the land, to enjoy themselves at leisure.

Their life is spent between sleeping and eating. The female makes no preparation for her nest, nor seems to choose any place in preference to lay in, but drops her eggs on the bare ground, to the number of five or six, and there continues to hatch them. Her little progeny, however, seem to call forth some maternal affections; for its young have been taken and tied by the leg to a post, and the parent bird has been observed for several days to come and feed them; remaining with them the greater part of the day, and spending the night on a branch of a tree that hung over them. By these means they become so familiar that they suffered themselves to be handled; and they very readily accepted whatever fish was given to them. These they always put first into the pouch, and then swallowed them at leisure.

[graphic]

THE CORMOR

OR CORVORANT,1

Is about the size of a large Muscovy duc The head and neck of this bird are of a sooty blackness, and the body thick and heavy, more inclining in figure to that of the goose, than the gull. As soon as the winter approaches, they are seen dispersed along the seashore, and ascending up the mouths of fresh water rivers, carrying destruction to all the finny tribe. They are most remarkably voracious, and have a most sudden digestion. Their appetite is forever craving, and never satisfied. This gnawing sensation may probably be increased by the great quantity of small worms that fill their intestines, and which their increasing gluttony contributes to engender.

This bird has the most rank and disagreeable smell, and is more fœtid than even carrion, when in its most healthful state. It is seen as well by land as sea; it fishes in fresh water lakes as well as in the depths of the ocean; it builds in the cliffs of rocks, as well as on trees; and preys not only in the daytime, but by night.

Its indefatigable nature, and its great power in catching fish, were, probably, the motives that induced some nations to breed this bird up tame, for the purpose of fishing. The description of their manner of fishing is thus enlivened by Faber:

"When they carry them out of the rooms where they are kept, to the fish

1 Carbo cormoranus, MEYER. The genus Carbo has the bill middle-sized, or long, straight, compressed; upper mandible much bent at the tip, the lower compressed; base of the bill involved in a membrane which extends to the throat; face and throat naked; nostrils basal, linear and concealed; legs strong, short, situated far behind; all the toes included in a web, and the middle claw serrated.

pools, they hoodwink them, that they may not be frightened by the way. When they are come to the rivers, they take off their hoods; and having tied a leather thong round the lower part of their necks, that they may not swallow down the fish they catch, they throw them into the river. They presently dive under water; and there, for a long time, with wonderful swiftness, pursue the fish; and, when they have caught them, rise to the top of the water, and, pressing the fish lightly with their bills, swallow them; till each bird has, after this manner, devoured five or six fishes. Then their

[graphic]

keepers call them to the fist, to which they readily fly; and, one after another, vomit up all their fish, a little bruised with the first nip given in catching them. When they have done fishing, setting the birds on some high place, they loose the string from their necks, leaving the passage to the stomach free and open; and, for their reward, they throw them part of their prey; to each one or two fishes, which they will catch most dexterously, as they are falling in the air."

At present, the cormorant is trained up in every part of China for the same purpose. "It is very pleasant to behold with what sagacity they portion out the lake or the canal where they are upon duty. When they have

found their prey, they seize it with their beak by the middle, and carry it without fail to their master. When the fish is too large, they then give each other mutual assistance; one seizes it by the head, the other by the tail, and in this manner carry it to the boat together. They have always, while they fish, a string fastened round their throats, to prevent them from devouring their prey." Such was formerly the practice in England; and as late as the reign of Charles I., there was an officer of the household who bore the title of Master of the Cormorants.

[graphic][merged small]

over.

Is of the size of a tame goose, but its wings much longer, being six feet The bill is six inches long, straight almost to the point. It differs from the corvorant in size, being larger, in its color, which is chiefly dirty white, with a cinereous tinge; and by its having no nostrils, but in their place a long furrow that reaches almost to the end of the bill. From the corner of the mouth is a narrow slip of black bare skin, that extends to the hind part of the head; beneath the skin is another that, like the pouch of 'the pelican, is dilatable, and of size sufficient to contain five or six entire herrings, which in the breeding season it carries at once to its mate or its young.

These birds, which subsist entirely upon fish, chiefly resort to those uninhabited islands where their food is found in plenty, and men seldom come to disturb them. The islands to the north of Scotland, the Skelig islands off the coasts of Kerry, in Ireland, and those that lie in the North sea off Norway, abound with them. But it is on the Bass island, in the firth of

1 Sula alba, MEYER. The genus Sula has the bill long, stout, in the form of an elongated cone, very thick at the base, compressed towards the tip, which is obliquely curved; cleft beyond the eyes; edges of both mandibles serrated; face and throat naked; nostrils hasal, linear, and concealed; legs short, stout, placed far behind; all the toes connected by a web; claw of the middle toe serrated; wings long; tail conical, and composed of twelve feathers.

Edinburgh, where they are seen in the greatest abundance. "It is scarcely possible to walk there without treading on them; the flocks of birds upon the wing are so numerous as to darken the air like a cloud; and their noise is such, that one cannot, without difficulty, be heard by the person next to him."

THE TROPIC BIRDI

INCLUDES only three known species, which are all distinguished by a wedgelike tail, the two middle feathers extending a vast length beyond the others.

THE COMMON TROPIC BIRD2

Is about the size of a widgeon. The length to the tip of the two long feathers is nearly three feet. The bill is three inches long, and red; the head, neck, and under parts of the body, are quite white; the upper parts of the plumage white also, but marked with black lines. The two middle feathers of the tail measure twenty inches, and project fifteen inches beyond the rest. It takes its name from being chiefly found within the tropics. It frequently flies very high, but generally attends upon the flying-fishes in their escape from their watery enemies; and they have now and then been found in calm weather, supinely floating on the backs of the drowsy tortoises. Their flesh is not good, but is sometimes eaten by the hungry sailors.

[ocr errors][merged small]

Is a very large bird, weighing sixteen pounds, and measuring three feet six inches in length. The bill is strong, black, and above four inches in length.

1 The genus Phaeton has the bill as long as the head, thick, stout, hard, sharp-edged, much compressed, pointed, slightly sloped from the base; edges of the mandibles widened at the base, compressed and serrated in the rest of their length; nostrils basal, lateral, covered above and near the base, by a naked membrane, and pervious; legs very short, placed far back, all the toes connected by a web; wings long; tail short, but the two filamentous middle feathers very long.

2 Phaeton phenicurus, LIN.

3 Columbus glacialis, LIN. The genus Colymbus has the bill of medium size, straight, very pointed, compressed; nostrils basal, lateral concave, oblong, half closed by a mem brane; legs placed far behind; tarsi compressed; the three fore toes very long and webbed; the hinder short, with a loose rudimentary web; wings short; tail very short and rounded.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »