242 LAWSON'S HISTORY 



young squabs are very good victuals, and often 

 prove a relief to travelers by water, that have 

 spent their provisions. 



Old wives are a black and white pied gull, with 

 extraordinary long wings, and a golden colored 

 bill and feet. He makes a dismal noise as he 

 flies, and ever and anon dips his bill in the salt 

 water. I never knew him eaten. 



The sea cock is a gull that crows at break of 

 day, and in the morning, exactly like a dunghill 

 cock, which cry seems very pleasant in those un- 

 inhabited places. He is never eaten. 



Of curlues there are three sorts, and vast num- 

 bers of each. They have all long bills and differ 

 neither in color nor shape, only in size. The lar- 

 gest is as big as a good hen ; the smaller the big- 

 ness of a snipe or something bigger. 



"We have three sorts of bitterns in Carolina. 

 The first is the same as in England ; the second 

 of a deep brown with a great topping and yellow- 

 ish white throat and breast, and is lesser than the 

 former ; the last is no bigger than a woodcock 

 and near the color of the second. 



We have the same herns as in England. 



White herns are here very plentiful. I have 

 seen above thirty sit on one tree at a time. They 

 are as white as milk and fly very slowly. 



The water pheasant (very improperly called so) 

 are a water fowl of the duck kind, having a top- 

 ping of pretty feathers, which sets them out. They 

 are very good meat. 



