JO VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



prevail Tome degrees more to the fouth before 

 ihips get into the general winds. 



The bird known by the name of man-of-war 

 bird (pehcanus aquilus, Linn.) was the object of 

 our admiration. On the 24th we perceived two, 

 which, hovering at a prodigious height, were 

 watching their prey, and waiting till it appeared 

 on the furface of the water. 



Thefe birds, no doubt, keep at this great ele- 

 vation in order to embrace with their eyes art 

 immenfe fpace; but it is very aftonifhing that 

 they can fee from fuch a diftance the fmall fifties 

 on which they moil commonly feed : fo pene- 

 trating a fight depends, perhaps, more on the 

 difpofition of the humours of the eye than on the 

 great fcnfibility of the retina. This inveiligation 

 is worthy of the attention of the natural philofo- 

 pher. 



The man-of-war bird, as is well known, is 

 very ravenous after flying-fifties. As foon as it 

 perceives any, it defcends from the upper regions 

 of the atmofphere, and comes to fly at about 

 a hectometer above the furface of the fea ; 

 there it remains ready to fcize them as foon as 

 they rife out of the water. All the motions of 

 the man-of-war bird are directed with admirable 

 addrefs : it does not defcend head foremofi, like 

 the other birds which feek their food under 

 Water ; with the feet and tail placed horizontally 



on 



