i6gi.] A STONE rx the CxIzard. 79 



near enough to one, when we do not run after them, yet they 

 will never grow Tame : As soon as they are caught they 

 shed Tears without Crying, and (obstinately) refuse all man- 

 ner of Sustenance till they die. 



We find in the Gizards of both Male and Female a 

 brown Stone, of the bigness of a Hens Egg,^ 'tis somewhat 

 rough, flat on one side, and round on the other, heavy and 

 hard. We believe this Stone was there when they were 

 hatch 'd, for let them be never so young, you met with it 

 always. They have never but one of 'em, and besides, the 

 Passage from the Craw to the Gizard is so narrow, that a 

 like Mass of half the bigness cou'd not pass. It serv'd to 

 whet our Knives, better than any other Stone whatsoever. 



When these Birds build their Nests, they choose a clean 

 Place, gather together some Palm-Leaves for that purpose, 

 and heap them up a foot and a half high from the Ground, 

 on which they sit. They never lay but one Egg, which is 

 much bigger than that of a Goose. The Male and Female 

 both cover^ it in their turns, and the young is not hatch'd 

 till at seven Weeks end : All the while they are sitting 

 upon it, or are bringing up their young one, which is not 

 able to provide for its self in several Months,^ they will 

 not suffer any other Bird of their Species to come within 

 two hundred yards round of the Place : But what is very 

 singular, is, The Males will never drive away tlie Females, 

 only when he perceives one he makes a noise with his 

 Wings to call the Female, and she drives the unwelcome 

 Stranger away, not leaving it till 'tis without her Bounds. 

 The Female do's the same as to the Males, whom she leaves 

 to the Male, and he drives them away. We have observ'd 

 this several times, and I affirm it to be true. 



The Combats between them on this occasion last some- 



1 See Appendix, and Plate No. x. 



2 In orig. : "le convent.'' 



3 In orig. : " qu'apres plusieiirs mois." 



