1 69 1.] BIRDS MOUNTED ON STILTS. 45 



abundances of other small Birds, as also Birds of Prey, and 

 other Birds. There are Batts whose^ Bodies are bigger than 

 a Hen's, and the Flesh of them very pleasant to eat, when a 

 Man gets over that Aversion to 'em which is begot by 

 Prejudice. The Parrots are also excellent Food. The Pea- 

 cocks are great Birds mounted upon Stilts ; they frequent 

 Lakes and Rivers, and their Flesh tastes much like that of a 

 Bittern. The Partridges are all grey, and half as little again 

 as ours. The Males of the Sparrows have red Breasts,^ and 

 when they make Love, redder than ordinary. But these 

 little Animals, which, like Flowers and Butter-flies, seem to 

 be made only to embellish Nature, multiply so fast, that, to 

 say the Truth, they are troublesome. They come in Clouds," 

 and carry away the Corn that is sown, if great Care is not 

 taken of it; which is doubtless an Inconvenience; but a 

 little Gunpowder soon frightens 'em away. There are also 

 Caterpillars and Flyes, which are a little vexatious. And 

 lastly (for we must say all we can, if we wou'd give a true 

 and entire Idea of Things) those dreadful Tempests, that are 



grosse oie), blanc, avec noir a I'extremite des ailes et de la queue, ou 

 il y a des plumes pareilles a celles de I'autruche, col long, bee de 

 becasse, mais plus gros, pieds de poule d'Inde, se prennont a la course 

 et vollent peu. C'est un des meilleurs gibiers de I'ile. Les oiseaux 

 bleus, gros comme les precedents, avec bee et pieds rouges, faits comme 

 pieds de poules, ne volant pas mais couraut tres-vite." (Dubois, 1669, 

 quoted by Maillard, p. 10.) 



1 Collet rouge, or flying fox, is a large species of bat, Pteropus 

 EdicarcML Some specimens measure over three feet from tip to tip of 

 the wings. " II y a aussi beaucoup de tortues de terre et de mer, et des 

 chauve-souris, grosses comme despetits chats." (Dubois.) 



2 These " Sparrows with red breasts" belonged to a species of weaver- 

 bird, Foudia Bruante (P. L. S. Miiller), of which Sir Edward Newton 

 says (Trans. Norfolk and Norm. Natural Soc., iv, p. 54o) that "it was 

 described in the last century by Buffon and figured by Daubertin. The 

 specimen which provided the description and figure no longer exists, so 

 far as I can ascertain. 1 have never heard of anyone now living who 

 has ever seen an example of the bird. Its place on the island is now 

 taken by the kindred species, Foudia Madarjascariensis, introduced from 

 Madagascar." See Appendix for list of Bourbon birds. 



