Jicss or emptiness of that. The waters of the upper 

 fake, when it empties, run off by large holes in the 

 fcottom. The ducks which are very plentiful in the 

 water, are often carried down with it into the subter- 

 raneous lake. In this many of them undoubtedly pe- 

 rish ; yet some remain alive. But they lose their 

 sight and their feathers : and at the next filling of the 

 upper lake, both they and vast numbers of fish are 

 thrown up with the water. They make a strange ap- 

 pearance in their naked state ; and for want of sight 

 are easily caught. J n about a fortnight they recover 

 their sight and their feathers, and are then as big as 

 common wild-ducks. At their first coining up, 

 their stomachs are full of small fishes, and something 

 resembling weeds. It seems therefore, they were not 

 quite blind, when in their dark habitation, but could 

 see by that small quantity of light, to search for and 

 find their food. 



Nor is it in this lake only that these ducks are 

 found. They are frequently thrown up, after great 

 rains, at a hole in a mountain, near the town of Laon, 

 in the Isle of France. The water then gushing out 

 with great violence, brings these blind and bald crca. 

 tures with it. And their frequency and cheapness, 

 from the vast quantities which are thrown out, make 

 them esteemed no variety. 



The bodies of duckers or loons are admirably fitted 

 for diving: being cove red with a thick plumage, and 

 the surface of it so smooth, that the water cannot pe- 

 netrate it. Hereby their bodies are defended from 

 the cold, the water being kept at a distance ; and are 

 .so poised, that by a light impulse, they easily ascend 

 in it. Again, their feet are situate in the hindmost 

 part of their body, so that shooting them backward 

 and striking the water upwards, they plunge them- 

 selves down with great ease, and move forward there, 

 in. Their legs also are made flat and broad, and their 

 feet cloven into toes, with appenclaat njembraoes on 



