The B ill o f the Man o f War Bird.
L X X X I .
I T isalfo called the Albitrofs; the Scull is four Inches long, and four
and a quarter high; the length of the Bill feven, two and a half high,
and one and a half broad: the upper Beak is hollow and compofed
o f fix Bones, the uppermoft whereof is four Inches and a half long, above
half an Inch high, and convex; the middlemoft on each fide areallb four
Inches long, and about one eighth of an Inch thick; the lowermoft above
five Inches long and three quarters thick; their Edges are furrowed with
oblique and deep Grooves both before and behind; all thefe five Bones are
refimated or bended upward with fome refemblance to a Saddle; the
fixth is a wonderful ftrong Bone, crooked exadtly like the Bill of a Parrot,
and hollow; by the Bow almoft three Inches, and near an Inch
over. Its Edges are very keen and {landing out with two iharp or pointed
Angles. The Noftrils are three quarters of an Inch long, and almoft
two Inches before the Eyes, The nether Beak is compofed of three Bones,
the two hinder four Inches long, near an Inch high, and bended anfwer-
able to thofe o f the upper Beak. Their Edges are cut with deep Furrows:
The- third at the end of the Beak is hollow, above an Inch long, and
near as high: Its Edges are iharp and hard, and exceedingly convex or
■bended downward; underneath a round and iharp Pin grows out from
it in a level towards the Scull, near an Inch and a half long; the Shape
o f its Bill ihews it to be a Bird of Prey living moftly on Fifh, which it
takes from the Bird called the Booby, who is very dextrous in catching
the Flying Fijh, when hunted or chafed by the Dolphins; as foon as the
Booby has taken fome of them, the Man o f W ar comes down with
great Swiftnefs upon him, the other Bird immediately difgorges the Fiih,
which the Man o f War catches before it falls into the Water: This I
have feen them do often when I was in the Indian fleas. This Bill I
had from Dr. Douglas.
The
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