THE MAN-OF-WAtt BIED. 283 



Simple mode of taking it. 



natural cause. They always fish in line weather; 

 so that when the wind is boisterous out at sea, 

 they retire into the harbours, where they are pro- 

 tected by the land: and the same wind that 

 blows them in, brings also very often vessels to 

 seek a retreat from the storm. 



The voice of these birds resembles very much 

 the braying of the ass. In South America they 

 build their nests about the end of September; 

 these are formed of earth, on the ground, and 

 are from one to three feet high. The eggs are 

 as large as those of the goose, and have the sin- 

 gular property of their \vhite not becoming hard 

 by boiling. When attempted to be seized, these 

 birds make a vigorous defence with their bills. 



Many of the Indians set a high value on their 

 feathers ; which they use for arrows, as they last 

 much longer than those of any other birds. The 

 natives of the South-Sea Islands watch the arri- 

 val of the man-of-war birds at the rainy season ; 

 and, when they observe them, they launch from 

 their canoes a light float of wood into the water, 

 baited with a small fish. When one of the birds 

 approaches it, a man stands ready with a pole, 

 of about eighteen feet long ; and on its pouncing, 

 he strikes at it, and seldom fails of bringing it 

 down. If, however, he misses his aim, he must 

 wait for some other bird; for that will no more 

 be tempted to approach. The cock birds are 

 reckoned the most valuable; and sometimes 

 even a large hog is given in exchange for one of 

 these. 



