199 



|)able of great expansion. When this sack is 

 empty it is scarcely perceptible, but when filled 

 with fisjij particularly at the time when the bird 

 lias yoiujg'j its size is really astonisliing. Nature, 

 ever attentive to adapt the mean to the end, has 

 furnished this bird with a large pair of wings, 

 which are nearly nine feet in breadth from one 

 extremity to the other; the quills are very long", 

 and are preferred for writing to those of the 

 goose or the swan ; its tail is short and rounds 

 and the feet have four toes united by a strong 

 membrane. It is a solitary and indolent bird, al- 

 most constantly to be seen upon the rocks, where 

 it makes its nest, and it has usually live young at 

 a brood. Tlie inhabitants, after dressing them, 

 make use of tliese sacks for tobacco-pouches ; 

 they are also employed for lanterns, and from 

 tlicir transparency answer tlie purpose very 

 well. 



The cage (anas hybrida) is a species of roose 

 which frequents the islands in the ArchipelaL;o 

 of Chiloe. It is remarkable for the difference of 

 colour between the male and the female; the 

 former being entirely white, with a vellow bill 

 and legs ; whereas the female is black, except a 

 narrow white stripe w'lih wl.ich the edges of 

 some of the feathers are marked, as-.d X'k^c bill and 

 legs are red. In consequence of this remarkable 

 di.-siiiiilarity, I luive given to this bird the name 

 of t!ie hybrid, or mulatio. The ca^' 6' is of the 



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