68 VOYAGE INTO 



the whale ; at other times we must shoot at them a great 

 distance, as at other wild birds, such as ravens, herns, and 

 the like. 



His cry is like the cry of some ravens that I have some- 

 times heard ; he flyeth in the air like a stork ; he preys upon 

 young lumbs as the hawk doth upon all sorts of birds ; he 

 feeds also upon the fat of the whale, whereof he doth swallow 

 down pieces as big as ones hand whole. 



The Mallemucks are mightily afraid of him ; they will lye 

 down before him (when they are upon the carcass of a dead 

 whale) ; then he bites them about the neck, which I believe 

 doth not hurt them much, because they have a very thick 

 skin, for else they would oppose and resist him, or fly away; 

 but they do not matter it, neither will they leave their meal 

 for his biting. I have seen him also about the sea-horses, 

 whose dung he eats. He flyeth commonly single, except 

 when they meet at their prey. He loves to rest on the 

 water, but doth not care much for diving ; we shot one before 

 the JVeihegat on the 10th day of July. 



6. Of the Rotges.i 



This bird is a diver, and might be rather called the diving 

 rotge. His bill is crooked but short, somewhat thick, of a 

 black colour ; his feet have but three claws, with as many 

 black nails, and are joyned by a black skin ; his legs are 

 short and black ; he is almost all over black, except his belly, 

 which is white. 



Some of this kind have their wings spotted with white and 

 black, like the diving pigeon ; no water sticketh to their 

 feathers, no more than to a swans ; they are most of them 

 like hair on a very thick skin : their tail is short. 



They are very much like a swallow in their shape ; I took 

 them at first to be swallows, for they fly like them ; they arc 



' The little Auk or commou Rotche {Arctica alle). 



