402 HisroiiY or 



siiii weed ; liowever, when tliey are pickled and preserved with 

 spices, they are admired by those who are fond of high eating. 

 We are told, that formerly their flesh was allowed by the church 

 on Lenten days. They were, at that time, also taken by ferrets, 

 as we do rabbits. At present, they are either dug out, or draw j. 

 out, from their burrows, with a hooked stick. They bite ex 

 tremely hard, and keep such fast hold of whatsoever they sei/,- 

 upon, as not to be easily disengaged. Their noise, when take:i. 

 is very disagreeable, being like the efforts of a dumb person at- 

 tempting to speak. 



The constant depredation which these birds annually suffer, 

 does not in the least seem to intimidate them, or drive them 

 away ; on the contrary, as the people say, the nest must be 

 robbed or the old ones will breed there no longer. All birds of 

 this kind lay but one egg; yet if that be taken away, they will 

 lay another, and so on to a third ; which seems to imply, that 

 robbing their nests does not much intimidate them from laying 

 again. Those, however, whose nests have been thus destroyed, 

 are often too late in bringing up their young ; who, if they be not 

 fledged and prepared for migration when all the rest depart, are 

 left at land to shift for themselves. In August the whole tribe 

 is seen to take leave of their summer residence ; nor are they 

 observed any more till the return of the ensuing spring. It is 

 probable that they sail away to more southern regions, as our 

 mariners frequently see myriads of water-fowl upon their re- 

 turn, and steering usually to the north. Indeed the coldest 

 countries seem to be their most favoured retreats ; and the num- 

 ber of water-fowl is much greater in those colder climates than 

 in the warmer regions near the line. The quantity of oil which 

 abounds in their bodies, serves as a defence against cold, and 

 preserves them in vigour against its severity ; but the same pro- 

 vision of oil is rather detrimental in warm countries, as it turns 

 rancid, and many of them die of disorders which arise from its 

 putrefaction. In general, however, water-fowl can be properly 

 said to be of no climate ; the element upon which they live be- 

 ing their proper residence. They necessarily spend a few months 

 of summer upon land, to bring up their young ; but the rest of 

 their time is probably consumed in their migrations, or near 

 some unknown coasts, where their provision of fish is lound 

 in greatest abundance. 



