FLIGHT OF SEA-BIRDS. 12? 



Thou hast sail'd far 



Permit me of these unknown lands t* inquire 

 Lands never tilPd, where thou hast wondering been, 

 And all the marvels thou hast heard and seen. 



CRABBE. 



IT is pleasing to see the attention of our naval 

 officers directed to subjects of Natural History, 

 and to find that some of the observations they 

 have made have been turned to useful purposes. 

 Captain Fitzroy, in his very interesting narrative 

 of his Surveying Voyage in the Beagle, a work 

 which shews the zeal, good sense, and kind feel- 

 ing of that indefatigable officer, tells us that he 

 profited much by observing the flight of birds 

 when out of sight of land. He thinks that land, 

 especially small islands or reefs, may be dis- 

 covered in consequence of watching the particular 

 kinds of birds, and noticing the direction in which 

 they fly in' the evening, about sunset. Thus, 

 after a severe gale of wind, he was in doubt whe- 

 ther those remote islands, called the Reelings, 

 were to the east or west. He was inclined to 

 steer eastward, when a number of Gannets flew 

 past the ship towards the west. He immediately 

 steered after them, and early next morning saw 



