ii6 WATER BIRDS. 



devouring their prey, as otherwife they would at once'fatiate themfelves, 

 and difcontinue their purfuit the moment they had filled their bellies." 



The cormorant is the beft fillier of all birds; and though fat and heavy, 

 is generally on the wing. The great adivity with which it purfues, and 

 from a vaft height drops down to dive after its prey, offers one of the 

 moft amufing fpeftacles ; it is often feen rifing heavily, with a filh larger 

 than it can readily devour. It fometimes alfo happens, that the cormo- 

 rant has caught the fi(h by the tail j and confequently the fins prevent its 

 "being eafily fwallowed in that pofition. In this cafe, the bird is feen to 

 tofs its prey above its head, and very dexteroufly to catch it, when de- 

 fcending, by the proper end, and fo fwallow it with eafe. 



THE ALBATROSS. 



THIS bird is thus defcribed by Edwards: "The body rather 

 larger than that of a pelican, and its wings ten feet from tip to 

 tip J bill fix inches long, yellowifh, terminates in a crooked point. Top 

 of the head bright brown; back dirty deep fpotted brown j the belly, and 

 under the wings white; the toes, which are webbed, fiefh colour. 



Inhabits the tropical climates, and the Strei^hts of Magellan in the 

 South Seas. Is one of the moft fierce and formidable of the aquadc 

 tribes, not only living upon fifh, but alfo fuch fmall water-fowl as it can 

 take by furprize. It preys, as all the gull kind do, on the wing; and 

 chiefly purfues the fiying-fifh, that are forced from the fea by the dol- 

 phins ; purfues the gulls, and obliges them to relinquifh their prey. 



Few birds float upon the air with more eafe than the albatrofs, or fup- 

 port themfelves longer in that element. They, night and day on the 

 •wing, are always prowling, yet always emaciated and hungry. Seem to 

 have a peculiar affeftion for the penguin, and a pleafure in its fociety. 

 Choofe the fame places of breeding ; fome diftant uninhabited ifland, 

 -where the ground flants to the fea, as the penguin is not formed either 

 for flying or climbing. At Falkland Iflands they build with amazing 

 uniformity J their nefts covering fields by thoufands, and refembling a re- 

 gular plantation. In the middle, on high, the albatrofs raifes its neft on 

 heath fticks and long grafs, about two feet above the furface : round this 

 the penguins make their lower fettlements, rather in holes in the ground* 

 and moft ufually eight penguins to one albatrofs. 



SMALLER 



