SHEATHBILL. 431 



This bird inhabits New Zealand, as well as several of the Friendly 

 Islands, and we believe New-Holland ; is apt to vary in the colour 

 of the extremities, as well as size, in different places: those from 

 Kerguelen's Land have brown legs, and black toes ; in some the legs 

 are white, or pale blue ; and in one from Staaten Land, the legs 

 were black, and the bill in some specimens pale brown. 



These birds haunt the sea shores in flocks, and feed on shell-fish 

 and carrion ;* as to the use of them for food there are various 

 opinions; some put the flesh in competition with tl at of a Duck, 

 while others tell us, that it is worse than carrion, and has such an 

 offensive smell, that they could not venture to taste of it, even at a 

 time when they were not easily disgusted.f We may therefore 

 conclude, that those who praised it as a delicacy, were at least very 

 hungry. 



* Forst. Voy. i. 518. f Cook's Last Voy.\. 88. Forst. Voy.'n. 205. 



