ANIMALS RECENTLY EXTINCT. 635 



fact that Leguat seems to have not thought of providing wives for his 

 colonists. While Leguat's description has been quoted and requoted, 

 there is no other source from which information may be drawn, and it 

 must once more be used. 



He writes : 



Of all the birds in the island the most remarkable is that which goes by the name 

 of the Solitary, because it is very seldom seen in Conipauy, tho' there are abundance 

 of them. 



The feathers of the Males are of a brown grey Colour ; the Feet and Beak are 

 like a Turkey's, but a little more crooked. They have scarce any Tail, but their 

 Hind- part covered with Feathers is roundish, like the Crupper of a Horse ; they are 

 taller than turkeys. Their neck is straight and a little longer in proportion than 

 a Turkey's when it lifts up his Head. Its Eye is black and lively, and its Head 

 without comb or cop. They never fly, their Wings are too little to support the 

 weight of their Bodies ; they serve only to beat themselves, and flutter when they 

 call one another. 



They will whirl about for twenty or thirty times together on the same side, during 

 the space of four or five minutes. The motion of their Wings makes then a noise 

 very like that of a Rattle; and one may hear it two hundred paces off. The 

 Bone of their Wing grows greater toward the Extremity, and forms a little round 

 mass under the Feathers, as big as a Musket Ball. That and its beak are the chief 

 Defense of this Bird. 'Tis very hard to catch it in the Woods, but easy in open 

 Places, because we run faster than they, and sometimes we approach them without 

 much Trouble. From March to September they are extremely fat, and taste admirably 

 well, especially while they are young. Some of the Males weigh forty-five Pounds. 



'Though these Birds will sometimes very familiarly come up near enough to one, 

 when we do not run after them, yet they will never grow Tame. As soon as they 

 are caught they shed Tears without Crying and refuse all manner of Sustenance till 

 they die. 



When these Birds build their Nests, they choose a clean Place, gather together 

 some Palm-Leaves for that purpose and heap them up a foot and a half high from the 

 Ground, on which they sit. They never lay but one Egg, which is much bigger than 

 that of a Goose. The Male and Female both cover it iu their turus, and the young 

 which is not able to provide for itself in several Months, is not hatch'd till at seven 

 Weeks' end. All the while they are sitting upon it they will uot suffer any other 

 Bird of their Species to come within two hundred Yards round of the Place ; But 

 what is very singular, is, the Males will never drive away the Females, only when he 

 perceives one he makes a noise with his Wings to call the Female, and she drives the 

 unwelcome Stranger away, not leaving it till 'tis without her Bounds. The Female 

 does the same as to the Males, and he drives them away. We have observ'd this 

 several Times, and I affirm it to be true. 



The Combats between them on this occasion last sometimes pretty long, because 

 the Stranger only turus about, and do's not fly directly from the Nest. However the 

 other do not forsake it till they have quite driven it out of their Limits. After these 

 Birds have raised their young One, and left it to itself, they are always together, 

 which the other Birds are not, and tho' they happen to mingle with other Birds of the 

 same Species, these two Companions never disunite. We have often remarked that 

 some Days after the young one leaves the Nest, a Company of thirty or forty brings 

 another young one to it, and the new tiedg'd Bird, with its Father and Mother 

 joyniugwith the Band, march to some bye Place We frequently followed them, aud 

 found that afterwards the old ones went each their way alone, or in Couples, and 

 left the two young ones together, which we call'd a Marriage. 



This Particularity has something in it which looks a little Fabulous, nevertheless, 

 what I say is sincere Truth, and what I have more than once observ'd with care 

 and Pleasure. 



