1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 225 



which are succeeded by a long roundish pod, filled 

 with very thin shining black seeds. A species of 

 long pepper is found in great plenty; but it has little 

 of the aromatic flavour that makes spices valuable; 

 and a tree much like a palm at a distance, is pretty 

 frequent in the woods, though the deceit appears as 

 you come near it. It is remarkable that, as the 

 greatest part of the trees and plants had, at this time, 

 lost their flowers, we perceived they were generally 

 of the berry-bearing kind; of which, and other seeds, 

 I brought away about thirty different sorts. Of these, 

 one in particular, which bears a red berry, is much 

 like the supple jack, and grows about the trees, 

 stretching from one to another, in such a manner as 

 to render the woods almost wholly impassable. 



The birds, of which there is a tolerable stock, as 

 well as the vegetable productions, are almost entirely 

 peculiar to the place. And though it be difficult to 

 follow them, on account of the quantity of under- 

 wood and the climbing plants, that render travelling, 

 for pleasure alone, uncommonly fatiguing, yet a 

 person, by remaining in one place, may shoot as 

 many in a day as would serve six or eight others. 

 The principal sorts are, large brown parrots, with 

 white or greyish heads; green paroquets with red 

 foreheads; large wood pigeons, brown above, with 

 white bellies, the rest green, and the bill and feet 

 red. Two sorts of cuckoos, one as large as our com- 

 mon sort, of a brown colour, variegated with black ; 

 the other not larger than a sparrow, of a splendid 

 green cast above, and elegantly varied with waves of 

 golden, green, brown, and white colours below. Both 

 these are scarce; but several others are in greater 

 plenty; one of which, of a black colour, with a 

 greenish cast, is remarkable for having a tuft of white 

 curled feathers hanging under the throat, and was 

 called the Poy bird by our people. Another sort, 

 rather smaller, is black, with a brown back and 

 wings, and two small gills under the root of the 



VOL. v. Q 



