150 



A VOYAGE TO 



'777- The birds, of which there is a tolerable Hock, as well as 



February. ^^^^ vegetable produtftions, are altnoft entirely peculiar to 

 the place. And though it be difficult to follow them, on 

 account of the quantity of underwood, and the climbing 

 plants, that render travelling, for pleafure alone, uncom- 

 monly fatiguing, yet a perfon, by remaining in one place, 

 may Ihoot as many in a day as would ferve fix or eight 

 others. The principal forts are, large brown parrots, with 

 white or greyifli heads; green parroquets, with red fore- 

 heads ; large wood pigeons, brown above, with white bel- 

 lies, the reft green, and the bill and feet red. Two forts of 

 cuckoos, one as large as our common fort, of a brown co- 

 lour, variegated with black ; the other not larger than a 

 Iparrow, of a fplendid green caft above, and elegantly va- 

 ried with waves of golden, green, brown, and white colours 

 below. Both thefe are fcarce; but feVeral others are in 

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

 greenifh caft, is remarkable for having a tuft of white curled 

 feathers hanging under the throat, and was called the Poy 

 bird * by our people. Another fort, rather fmaller, is black, 

 with a brown back and wings, and two fmall gills under 

 the root of the bill. This we called the fmall wattle bird, 

 to diftinguifli it from another, which we called the large 

 one, of the fize of a common pigeon, with two large yellow 

 and purple membranes alfo, at the root of the bill. It is 

 black, or rather blue, and has no refemblance of the other 

 but in name ; for the bill is thick, fhort, and crooked, and 

 has altogether an uncommon appearance. A grofs-beak, 

 about the fize of a thrufli, of a brown colour, with a red- 

 difli tail, is frequent ; as is alfo a fmall greenifli bird, which 



* See a drawing of this bird, Plate N° LII. in Captain Cook's Account of his Second 

 Voyage^ Vol. i. p. 97. It had this name from its tuft of fetithers, refembling the white 

 .£owexs ufed as ornameiUs in the ears at Otaheite, and called there Poowa. 



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