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The Soland GoofeQ Anfer Baffenus.
Numb. LXXXVI.
ITS Length from the Point of the Bill to the End of the Tail is two Foot four Inches
and a quarter ; Breadth when the Wings are extended three Foot fix Inches; Weight
two Pound fifteen Ounces; in Bignefsit equals the tame Goofe.
' It's Bill is three Inches and a half long, ftreight, of a dark aih Colour, a little crooked
at the Point, having on each Side, not far from the Hook, an angular Appendix or Tooth,
like the Bills of fome rapacious Birds; beyond the Eyes the Skin on the Sides of the Head
is bare of Feathers, as in the Cormorant; the Palate, and all the Infide of the Mouth is
black, and the Slit of the Mouth is wide ; at the Angle of the Upfilon-like Bone is a very
finall Tongue; the Ears of a mean Size, and the Eyes hazel coloured ; it has no Noftrils,
but in their ftead a Furrow extended on each Side through the whole Length of the Bill;
the Edges of both Mandibles appear ferrate, that it may hold firmly the Fiih itcatcheth;
it hath four Toes all web’d together and ftanding forward, and the Leg, from the Knee-
Joint to the End of the outward fore Claw, which is the longeft, is fix Inches ; it is
feathered down to the Knees, and both Legs and Feet, as far as they are bare, is black;
the Claw of the middle Toe is broad and pe&inated on the infide as in Herons ; the Plumage
is like that of a Goofe; the Colour of them when they have moulted their Chicken
Feathers is all over white, excepting the greater quill Feathers of the Wings which are
black: In the old ones the Feathers on the Top of the Head, Neck and Back have a yel-
lowiih Cail. # _
The young ones are party-coloured of white, dark brown, or black, on the upper
Parts of their Bodies ; the Number of quill Feathers in each Wing is about thirty two,
and the Tail is made up of twelve Feathers about fcven Inches long-
The blind Guts are very fhort, fcarce any Footftep remaining of the Channel conveying
the Yolk into the Guts. -
Thefe Birds breed in the Bafs Ifland in Scotland, and no where elfe, huge Numbers
coming yearly thither, apd each Female lays only one Egg-
Upon this Ifland the Birds being never fliot at or frightned, are fo confident as to alight
and feed their young ones clofe by you j they feed only upon Fiih, yet are the young
Geefe counted a great Dainty by the Scots, and fold very dear; the Lord of the Ifle making
great Profits of them yearly.
They come in the Spring, and go not away till the Autumn; whither they go, and
where they winter is not known.
Thefe Birds are very induftrious and dextrous in catching Fiih; by which the People
of the Ifland are fupplied with freih Fiih all the Summer.
The