Ch.I. south AMERICA. igg 



had a vcy hollow fta, and at the fame time the at- 

 mofphere fo hazy, that ibmerimes we lod fighr of the 

 other fliips. This fog precij^itated itfeif in a mizzliog 

 rain, which continued inccíTantly two days afcer the 

 ftorm was over. 



On the 20th we were amufcd with the fight of a 

 great number of birds of all fizes, and among them 

 one larger than a goofe, and entirely blaclc. On the 

 2 lit their numbers incr^c^fed, ionie of whiri \ -'-c 

 larger than the QucbrantahueiTos, but lecmed to he 

 of the. fame fpecies. All the feathers of this bird 

 were white, except thole on the upper pare of its 

 wings, which w:re brown. Its wings were long, 

 (lender, and lomething curved. On the aid, when 

 Vv'e were in the latitude of 51°, 2', and 9°> 35' weft 

 of the meridian of Conception, they continued with 

 us in the fame nunbers. On the 23d they increafed, 

 and among them were feveral gulls. The feathers on 

 the bodies or the lattei were white, their tails il-iort and 

 broad, their necks large but well proportioned, and 

 their heads and beaks anfwerable: on tiie upper parts 

 of their wings the feathers were black, and white un- 

 derneath; the wings very diiproportionate in length, 

 and confiderably crooked at the middle ardculation. 

 This bird hits very Iwift, fometimes juil above the 

 fuifice of ilie water, then mounts into the air; and 

 after taking two or three gyrations, they again dart 

 down near the waier's edge. On the 25th, th: weather 

 being foggy, with a mizzling rain, in tne latitude 55°, 

 6\ and 6°, 42', wefi: .of the meridian of Conception, 

 we faw great numbers of birds, and among the/n the 

 QuebrantahueiTos of both the kinds already mentioned, 

 and on the 26th ieveral Foninas, a kind of wild ducks. 



On the 27th \\c had little or no wind, witli fnow 

 and hail. l"he birds l>icwed themfelvcs in greater 

 numbers and variety than before; but the moil nu- 

 merous were guMs, like thofe already defcribed, but 

 the colours fomething different; fome being of an aih 



colours 



