1777- THE" PACIFIC OCEAN. 189 



when we walked in the woods, which, from the size, 

 could be no other. It should seem also, that they 

 are in considerable numbers, from the dung we saw 

 almost every where, and from the narrow tracks or 

 paths they have made amongst the shrubbery. 



"There are several sorts of birds, but all so scarce 

 and shy, that they are evidently harassed by the 

 natives, who, perhaps, draw much of their subsistence 

 from them. In the woods, the principal sorts are 

 large brown hawks or eagles; crows, nearly the same 

 as ours in England; yellowish paroquets; and large 

 pigeons. There are also three or four small birds, 

 one of which is of the thrush kind; and another 

 small one, with a pretty long tail, has part of the 

 head and neck of a most beautiful azure colour; 

 from whence we named it motacilla cyanea. On the 

 shore were several common and sea gulls; a few 

 black oyster catchers, or sea pies; and a pretty 

 plover of a stone colour, with a black hood. About 

 the pond or lake behind the beach, a few wild ducks 

 were seen ; and some shags used to perch upon the 

 high leafless trees near the shore. 



" Some pretty large blackish snakes were seen in the 

 woods; and we killed a large, hitherto unknown, 

 lizard, fifteen inches long and six round, elegantly 

 clouded with black and yellow ; besides a small sort, 

 of a brown gilded colour above, and rusty below. 



" The sea affords a much greater plenty, and at least 

 as great a variety as the land. Of these the elephant 

 fish, or pejegallo, mentioned in Frezier's Voyage*, are 

 the most numerous; and though inferior to many 

 other fish, were very palatable food. Several large 

 rays, nurses, and small leather-jackets, were caught; 

 with some small white bream, which were firmer and 

 better than those caught in the lake. We likewise 

 got a few soles and flounders; two sorts of gurnards, 

 one of them a new species ; some small spotted mullet; 

 and, very unexpectedly, the small fish with a silver 



* Tom. ii. p. 211. 12mo. Planche xvii. 



