(328 THE FKATHBRED TRIBES. 



THE FRIGATE-BIRD. 



"I had an opportunity, at the Galapagos Archipelago," says Mr. Darwin, "of watch- 

 ing, on several occasions, the habits of this bird, which are very interesting in relation to 

 its peculiar structure. The Frigate-bird, when it sees any object on the surface of the 

 water, descends from a great height, in an inclined plane, head-foremost, with the swift- 

 ness of an arrow ; and at the moment of seizing with its long beak and outstretched 

 neck the floating morsel, it turns upwards, with extraordinary dexterity, by the aid of its 

 forked tail, and long, powerful wings. 



" It never touches the water with its wings, or even with its feet ; indeed, I never 

 heard of one being seen on the surface of the sea ; and it appears that the deeply- 

 indented web between its toes is of no more use to it than are the shrivelled wings 

 beneath the wing-cases of some Coleopterous beetles. 



" The Frigate-bird has a noble appearance when seen soaring in a flock at a stu- 

 pendous height (at which time it merits the name of the Condor of the ocean), or when 

 many together are darting, in complicated evolutions, but with the most admirable skill, 

 at the same floating object. They seem to take their food quietly, for between each 

 descent they raise themselves on high, and descend again with a swift and true aim. 

 If the object (such as offal thrown overboai'd) sinks more than six or eight inches bcneatlx 

 the surface, it is lost to the Frigate-bird. I was informed at Ascension, that when the 

 little turtles break their shells, and run to the water's edge, these birds attend in num- 

 bers, and pick up the little animals (being thus very injurious to the turtle-fishing) off 

 the sand, in the same manner as they had from the sea." 



Arriving now at the completion of the purpose we formed, it may be well to glance at 

 the course which has been taken. After examining the structure of a bird, and various 

 important and interesting facts in its general history, the first objects of contemplation 

 were the Itapacioiis birds, building their nests in the wildest solitudes and on the loftiest 

 rocks. Their curved and powerful beak, strong limbs, acerated talons, robust head and 

 neck, expansive wings, rapid and long flight, characterise them as eminently carnivorous. 

 All of them subsist b}' rapine on living prey or dead carcases ; and, unlike llie 

 carnivorous races, they can dispense with water. The females are handsomer and 

 generally one-third larger than the mules, and occupy a similar j)lace in the creation 

 with the lion, the tiger, the bear, and all tlic diii'crent feline and canine races. Like tlie ■ 

 carnivorous quadrupeds, their temperament is sanguinary and ferocious ; aiul flieir voice 

 is hoarse, shrill, or piercing. Such arc the vultures, the eagles, tlie falcons, and the 

 owls, some of the most remarkable types of which hav-e been particularly described and 

 illustrated. 



Tlie Iimc'i.soria/ birds came next under review — an exceedingly numerous and diversified 

 order, having apparently, at first, a cliaracter purely negative ; since it embraces all tlie 

 birds which are neither swimmers, nor waders, nor climbers, nor gallinaceous, nor 

 rapacious. On a closer comparison, however, we soon discover among them a great 

 resemblance of slrucfure, and gradations so insensible from one genus to another, tluit it 



♦ Frcgatu Aquiln. 



