August, days in very cold weather, retiring to clifts and crevices
of the rocks, and returning on the firft fair funny day. The
red-legged partridge, (tetrao rufiisj, is likewife common in
the interior parts of the ifle, where it is not much difturb-
ed. In Mr. Loughnan’s aviary I law waxbills, (lexia aftrild),
chaffinches, goldfinches, yellowfinches, and canary-birds,
(fringilla coelebs, carduelis, butyracea, canaria) • all which had
been caught upon this ifland. Tame birds, fuch as
turkies, geefe, ducks, and hens, are very rare, which is
perhaps owing to the fcarcity of corn.
There are no fnakes whatfoever in Madeira ; but all
the houfes, vineyards, and gardens fwarm with lizards.
The friars of one of the convents complained, that thefe
vermin dellroyed the fruit in their garden; they had
therefore placed a brafs kettle in the ground to catch them
as they are conftantly running about in queft of food. In
this manner they daily caught hundreds, which could not
get out on account of the fmooth fides of the kettle, but
were forced to perifti.
The fhores of Madeira, and' o f the neighbouring
Salvages and Defertas, are not without fifh ; but as they are
not in plenty enough for the rigid obfervance of Lent,
pickled herrings are brought from Gothenburg in Englifli
bottoms, and falted cod from New-York and other Arne,
rican pons, to fupply the deficiency.
We
We found a few infedts here, and might perhaps have
eollefted more, if our ftay had been of longer duration ;
thofe we met with were of known forts, and in no great
variety. On this occafion I fhall mention a general remark,
which ought to be applied to all the ijlands we have
touched at during the courfe of our voyage. Quadrupeds,
amphibious reptiles, and infects, are not numerous in
{/lands, at fome diftancc from a continent, and the firft are
not to be met with at all, unlefs they were formerly
tranfported thither by men. Fifties and birds, which are
able to pafs through water or air, are more frequent, and
in greater variety. Continents, on the other hand, are rich
in the above-mentioned claffes of animals, as well as in
thofe of birds and fifties, which are more univerfal.
Africa, which we vifited during this voyage, in a few
weeks fupplied us with a great variety of quadrupeds,
reptiles, and infects, whilft all the other lands where we
touched, afforded no new difcoveries in thofe claffes.
E- a C H A B.'