IJJS. THE PACIFIC OCEA^. 3 17 



neither saw the skins-of the moose nor of the com- 

 mon deer. 



Of the birds mentioned at Nootka, we found here 

 only the white-headed eagle ; the shag ; the alcyon, or 

 great king-fisher, which had very bright colours ; and 

 the humming-bird, which came frequently and flew 

 about the ship, while at anchor; though it can scarcely 

 live here in the winter, which must be very severe. The 

 water-fowl were geese ; a small sort of duck, almost 

 like that mentioned at Kerguelen's Land; another sort 

 which none of us knew ; and some of the black sea- 

 pyes, with red bills, which we found at Van Diemen's 

 Land, and New Zealand. Some of the people who 

 went on shore, killed a grouse, a snipe, and some 

 plover. But though, upon the whole, the water-fowl 

 were pretty numerous, especially the ducks and geese, 

 which frequent the shores, they were so shy, that it 

 was scarcely possible to get within shot ; so that we 

 obtained a very small supply of them as refreshment. 

 The duck mentioned above, is as large as the com- 

 mon wild-duck, of a deep black colour, with a short 

 pointed tail, and red feet. The bill is white, tinged 

 with red toward the point, and has a large black spot, 

 almost square, near its base, on each side, where it is 

 also enlarged or distended : and on the forehead is 

 a large triangular white spot ; with one still larger on 

 the back part of the neck. The female has much 

 duller colours, and none of the ornaments of the bill, 

 except the two black spots, which are obscure. 



There is likewise a species of diver here, which 

 seems peculiar to the place. It is about the size of 

 a partridge ; has a short, black, compressed bill ; with 

 the head and upper part of the neck of a brown 

 black ; the rest of a deep brown, obscurely waved 

 with black, except the under part, which is en- 

 tirely of a blackish cast, very minutely varied with 

 white; the other (perhaps the female) is blacker 

 above, and whiter below. A small land-bird, of the 

 tinch kind, about the size of a yellow-hammer, 



