198 



makes her nest in the sand, in which she lavs six 

 or seven white eggs, spotted with black. 



The quethu (diomedea Chilensis) is of the 

 same genus, size and form as the preceding, but is 

 distinguished by its wings, which are wholly 

 destitute of feathers, and by having four toes on 

 each foot. The body is covered with a very 

 long thick ash-coloured plumage, a little curled, 

 and so soft that the inhabitants of Chiioe, where 

 these birds are very common, spin it, and make 

 bed-coverings of it, that are highly prized in the 

 country. 



The thage (pelicanus thagus) called by the 

 Spaniards the alcatrace, is a species of pelican of 

 a brown colour, remarkable for the size of its 

 sack. This bird is as large as a turkey-cock, 

 the neck is about a foot, and the legs twenty- 

 two inches long. Its head is large and well pro- 

 poitioiied, and the bill, which Js a little bent at 

 the point, is a foot ii length, am! serrated at the 

 edges, a characteristic mark that distinguishes 

 this pelican fom that of Europe, whose bill is 

 entire and smooth. The lower mandible, at a 

 little distance fiom tlie point, is divided into 

 two parts, that are very elastic and extensible at 

 the base, where they open iiito the membraneous 

 sack. Tiiis is only an enlargement of the skin 

 which covers the lower jaw and the neck ; it is 

 clothed svith a very short grey down, and is ca- 



