ffil'll^^h. 



(74) 



The Sea-F'iey or Olive, Hsematopus. 



J^ Numb. LXXVIII. 



C/ TTTS Length from the Tip of the Bill to the End of the Tail is one Foot 



\ four Inches ; Breadth when the Wings are extended, thirty Inches and 

 a half ; Weight feven Ounces and a half; its Bill is ftreight, two Inches and 

 a half long, narrow, and compreffed fideways, ending in a fharp Point of 

 a red Colour ; by its Figure the Bill feems to be framed by Nature to thruft 

 -under Limpets^ and to raife them from the Rocks, that fo it may feed 

 upon their Meat ; the upper Chap is a little longer than the nether ; the 

 Ir'tdes of the Eyes, and Edges of the Eye-lids of a curious red Colour ; the 

 Legs and Feet yellowifli red, in fome Orange Colour; the outermoft 

 Toe and middle Toe are joined together by a Membrane : So that this Bird 

 ieems to be of a middle nature between whole and cloven Footed ; the 

 Claws were black, and the Head, Neck, Back and Throat to the middle 

 of the Breaft, are black ; the reft of the Breaft and Belly white, as alfo 

 the Rump ; from this Likenefs of Colour it took the Name oiSea-P'ie, In 

 one Bird there was a white Spot under the Chin, and another lelTer under 

 each Eye. 



The Tail is made up of twelve equal Feathers of four Inches long, the 

 lower half white, the upper black ; the prime Feathers of each Wing are 

 about twenty eight, of which the jfirft is black, having only the interior 

 Edge white; the reft in order, the white Part is enlarged, till in the twen- 

 tieth and three following it takes up the whole Feather ; the fucceeding 

 from the twenty third grow gradually black again ; the covert Feathers of 

 the middle Quills are white, and together make a tranfverfe Bed of white 

 in the Wing. 



The Stomach is great, not mufculous, but membranous, in which dif- 

 felted were found Limpets entire, upon which it feems chiefly to feed and 

 live, as from the Make of its Bill was gathered before ; it hath a great Li- 

 ver divided into two Lobes, with a Gall annexed, and a fmall Spleen ; the 

 Cock differs from the Hen in Colour, and its Flefh is very black and hard, 

 having a rank Tafte, being very bad Meat, which is to be wondered at, 

 feeing it feeds chiefly upon Shell-fifli, as do alfo the beft reliflied and moft 

 favoury of Water-fowl. On the Coaft of IVales^ and elfewhere on the 

 Wcftern Shore? of England^ there is a great many of thefe Birds. 



The 



