RED-FACED CORVORANT. ^ 585 



wait for thefe birds, which are a favorite food of thofe animals. They 

 lay in June. Their eggs are green, and of the fize of thofe of a 

 Hen. They are very bad tafted, and are not eafily dreffed ; yet are 

 fo acceptable to the Kamtjchatkans, that, at the hazard of their 

 necks, they will climb to the mofl: dangerous places in fearch of 

 them, and often fall and lofe their lives. They catch thefe birds 

 with nets, in which tJiey are entangled in the places where they 

 reft. They are alio caught in fnares, with a running noofe hung 

 to the end of a pole, with which the fowlers creep quietly to- 

 wards the birds, and fling it round their necks, and draw them 

 up the rock. The reft of the flock are fo ftupid, that, notwith-- 

 ftanding they fee the fate of their companions, they remain, fhak- 

 ing their heads, on the fame fpot, till they are all taken. The 

 flelh is excefllvely hard and finewy. The Kamtjchatkans cook it af- 

 ter their fafhion, by putting the bird, without plucking or gutting, 

 into a hole filled with fire ; and when it is done enough, draw off the 

 fkin, and make on it a favory repaft. 



HAVING gone through the clafs of birds, let me remark, that 

 there is the greateft probability, that numbers of thofe o^ Kamtfchatka 

 are common to North America -, and that they pafs there the feafons of 

 migration j but not having adual proof of their being found on the 

 new continent, I am obliged to place them in thefe appendages to 

 each genus. The time may come, when it will be found neceffary to 

 remove them into the American feftions. It is alfo likely, that num- 

 bers may feek a more fouthern retreat, and ftock Japan and China 

 with their periodical flocks. I have done as much as the lights of 

 my days have furniflied me with. In fome remote age, when the 

 Britijh offspring will have pervaded the whole of their vaft conti- 

 nent, or the defcendants of the hardy Rujfians colonized the weftern 

 parts from their diftant Kamtfchatka, the road in future time to new 

 . - 4 F conquefts ; 



