1691.] "fools" and '' FrJGATES". 83 



Birds that sit on the Land, in the same Isles where the 

 Pigeons nest. All these Birds have a rank Taste, which is 

 not agreeable; to make amends their Eggs are very good. 

 The Fools come ev'ry Night, and Eoost in the Island ; 

 and the Frigats which are larger, and so call'd because 

 they are light, and admirable Sailers,^ lie in wait for 

 them on the top of the Trees, from Mdience they flounce 

 down upon them like Falcons on their Prey, not to kill 

 them, but make them bring up the Fish that is in their 

 Craw, which the Fool as soon as it is thus struck, is forc'd 

 to do. The Frigat catches it always before it comes to the 

 Ground. The Fool cries, and sometimes is very unwillino- 

 to part with its Prog, but the Frigat who is a bolder and 

 stronger Bird, laughs at its Cries, mounts into the Air, and 

 down he flounces again upon it, seizes upon the Throat, and 

 do's so till he has compell'd it to obey. 



The Frigat^ is blackish, and about the bigness of a Duck. 

 Its Wings are very large, 'tis a sort of Bird of Prey ; for it 

 has Talons, and its Beak which is above half a Foot long, is 

 a little crooked at the end. The old ones of the Males, have 

 a kind of red Flesh like a Comb under its Neck, as our 

 Cocks have. The FooU are so calPd because they incon- 

 siderately come about Ships, Perch on the Popes, and 

 innocently suffer themselves to be easily taken. Their 

 Simplicity is so great, that they judge of others by them- 

 selves, and do not take Men to be Mischievous Creatures. 

 Their Backs are of a Chesnut Colour, their Bellies whitish, 

 their Beaks sharp, four Inches long, and big towards the 

 Head, a little indented at the Edges. Their legs are short, 

 their feet like those of a Duck, and of a pale Yellow. 



There's another sort of Bird^ as big as a Pigeon all over 



1 In orig. : " bons Voiliers." 



2 The Frigate, or man-of-war bird {Tacliypetes aquila, or T. minor). 



3 Le Paille-en-qiieue, the Tropic bird (Phaethon Candidas) ; according 

 to Mihie Edwards, P. Pkcenicurus and P. favirostris. These birds are 



Cx 2 



