THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 309. 



fisher : hovering over a shoal of fishes, he eagerly 

 watches their motions, turning his head from side to 

 side in a very hidicrous manner ; he presently sees 

 one of the unwary group approach the surface, down 

 he pounces like a stone, plunging into the wave, 

 which boils into foam with the shock. Nor fails he 

 to seize the scaly victim, with which he emerges into 

 the air, and soon it is lodged whole in his capacious 

 stomach. But the Frigate-bird [Tachypetes aquilus) 

 has watched the proceeding, and instantly betakes 

 himself to the pursuit ; flight is vain from the 

 swiftest ranger of the Ocean, whose extended wings 

 measure a width of seven feet. The Frigate-bird 

 swooping down upon the unfortunate Booby, compels 

 him to disgorge the fish which he has just swallowed, 

 and which, long ere it can reach the water, is seized, 

 and again devoured by the oppressor. 



The Frigate-bird neither swims nor dives ; the 

 seamen fully believe that it even sleeps upon the 

 wing : whether this be so or not, there is good 

 evidence that the same individuals will remain in 

 the air for several successive days : they are never 

 known to alight on a vessel. In Jamaica, however, 

 I have repeatedly shot it from its resting place on an 

 overhanging tree of the sea-cliff. Though the chase 

 of the Booby is so usual as to be considered one of 

 its constant means of dependence, yet it also fishes 

 for itself: precluded, however, from plunging into 

 the sea, it can take only such as, like the Flying-fish, 

 leap into another element. With such success, how- 

 ever, does it attack these, that it has been seen to suajj 



