146 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



Fregata Aquila. Cuv. 



Pelecanus Aquilus, Linn. 



I had an opportunity, at the Galapagos Archipelago, of watching, on several 

 occasions, the habits of this bird, which are very interesting in relation to its 

 peculiar structure. The Frigate bird, when it sees any object on the surface of 

 the water, descends from a great height, in an inclined plane, head foremost, with 

 the swiftness of an arrow ; and at the instant of seizing with its long beak and 

 outstretched neck, the floating morsel, it turns upwards, with extraordinary dex- 

 terity, by the aid of its forked tail, and long, powerful wings. It never touches 

 the water with its wings, or even with its feet ; indeed I have never heard of one 

 having been seen on the surface of the sea ; and it appears that the deeply 

 indented web between its toes is of no more use to it, than are the shrivelled wings 

 beneath the wing-cases of some coleopterous beetles. The Frigate bird has a 

 noble appearance when seen soaring in a flock at a stupendous height (at which 

 time it merits the name of the Condor of the ocean), or when many together are 

 dashing, in complicated evolutions, but with the most admirable skill, at the same 

 floating object. They seem to scorn to take their food quietly, for between each 

 descent they raise themselves on high, and descend again with a swift and true 

 aim. If the object (such as offal thrown overboard) sink more than six or eight 

 inches beneath the surface, it is lost to the Frigate bird. I was informed at 

 Ascension, that when the little turtles break through their shells, and run to the 

 water's edge, these birds attend in numbers, and pick up the little animals (heing 

 thus very injurious to the turtle fishery) off the sand, in the same manner as they 

 would from the sea. 



