D hc1e7m74b*e:
Friday -*3.
One of the lieutenants returned the fame evening from an
excurlion to the north-weftward, whither he had been fent
by captain Cook to take the bearings of the land.
The next day was fo fine and mild, that feveral gentlemen
walked acrofs the ifland under which the fhip lay at
anchor, and fhot many little birds in their excurfion. Mr.
Hodges took a draught of the whole found from the height,
which has a moft pidlurefque appearance in that point of
view. It has been engraved for captain Cook’s account of
this voyage .; and the print is remarkable for the figure of
a falcon in the fore-ground, which, from its fupernatural
fize, feems to refemble the rukh, celebrated in the Arabian
Tales, more than any bird of lefs fanciful dimenfions.
We met with a moft beautiful fpecies of hawk on Tierra del
Fuego, about the fize of the falcon-gentil, brown, with a
black creft, and the neck and fhoulders barred with a grey
and chocolate colour; the figure above mentioned may
perhaps be meant for this fpecies.
We accompanied the captain this morning oh an excurfion
round the ifland under which the fhip lay at anchor,
whilft he fent lieutenant Pickerfgill to explore another part
of the bay. .The trouble of this day we thought well rewarded
by a great number of lhags which we Iho't among
the rocks, where they had built their nefts by thoufands.
i he power of inftindt had commonly impelled them tochoofe
for this purpofe fuch places where the rocks projedt over the
fea,
fea, or where at leaft they rife perpendicular ; that in cafe December.
their young fhould happen to fall out, they might take no-
hurt by dropping only in the Water. The flate of which
the rock cOnfifted in this part was not very hard; but it
is neverthelefs very furprifing that thefe birds have found
means to make holes in it, or even to enlarge its natural
cavities fo much, as to make room for their offspring in
them. Thefe fliags always returned to their nefts immediately
after we had fired, and flew fo heavily, that we-
found not much difficulty to flioot them on the wing.
The French at the Falkland Ifles have called thefe birds
nigauds*or ninnies, on account of their feeming ftupidity,
which could hardly be taught tofhun deftruftion *. Befides
thefe, we alfo brought on board three geefe which we had
fhot on this excurfion, and which were very remarkable, on
account of the difference of colour between the male and
female. The gander was fomewhat lefs than a common
tame goofe, and perfectly white, except the feet, which-
were yellow, and the bill, which was black. The goofe,.
on the contrary, was black, with white, tranfverfe bars, »
grey head, fome green, and fome white quill-feathers, It
fhould feem that nature hath very wifely ordered this dif-
parity; for the female being obliged to lead the young
brood, its graver colour does not fo eafily difcover them to^
* See Dom Pernetty’a Voyage to the Malouines..
falcons