Book III O^^lT HO LOqT. 34^ 



part being black as in the quil-feathers. As for the reft of the feathers inverting the 

 body they were of a colour between black and cinereous, but the black predominant, 

 and did nearly relemble the feathers of a bald Buzzard or Kite. The Legs were 

 placed backward, in the hindmoft part of the body, at in mod: Water-fowl, above 

 the Knee they were very fhort, below the Knee down to the Foot almoft three inches 

 long. The Feet were flat, having three Toes and a (hort Heel. The outmoft Toe 

 ( next in length to the middlemoft) confifted of four joynts 5 the middle ( which 

 was the longeft) of threes the inmoft ( which was the fhorteft ) of two 5 and the 

 heel or back-toe of one. All ending in {harp, crooked Claws, and joyned together 

 by a black membrane or cartilage to the very Claws. 



The characteriftic notes of this fpccies are, 1. The thicknefs and fhortnefs of its 

 Bill. 2. The uniform black colour of its Tail [as far as it appears beyond the in- 

 cumbent feathers.] 3. The bignefs and crookednefs of its Talons. 



Hoier writes, that it preys not only upon fifh, but on all kinds of fmall birds. 



The Cornijh Gannet ( as they told us ) doth conftantly accompany the fholes of Pil- 

 chards, ftill hovering over them in the Air. It purfues and ftrikes at thefe fifh with 

 that violence that they catcht it with a ftrange artifice. They fallen a Pilchard to a 

 board, which they fix a little under water. The Garrnet efpying the Pilchard, cafts 

 himlelf down from on high upon it with that vehemence, that he ftrikes his Bill clear 

 through the board, and dafhes out his brains againft it, and fo comes to be taken. We 

 faw many of thefe Gannets fly ing,but could not kill one. They feem to be very ftrong 

 birds, long-winged, and fly fwiftly. 



$. 11. 



* Aldrovandus his Catarra&a. 



IT comes near to the bird laft defcribed. It (faith he ) exa&ly refembles a Gofoawk? 

 £ to which our Bird alfb anfwers very well, both in bignefs and figure, and in the 

 colour of the upper fide of the body, ~] fo that you can fcarce diftinguifh them 5 for 

 on the upper fide, like that, it is variegated with brown, white and yellow mingled 3 

 on the under fide it is all white, ipotted with brown, as the Pifture fhews. Arijiotle 

 alfo writes, that it is lefs than a Hawk, and that it hath a large and broad Throat or 

 Gullet 5 which laft note agrees exactly to my bird, though indeed other Gulls alfo 

 have a wide throat as well as this. But I think Arifiotk likened it to a Hawko n°t 

 only for its bignefs, but becaufe it was alike ipotted, and efpecially becaufe it preys 

 after the manner of a Hawfa and for that purpofe is endued with a Bill for the bignefs 

 of its body very great and ftrong, (harp-pointed alfb, and the upper Chap more than 

 ordinarily hooked. It is an inch thick, and of a deep black. The Neck alfo is pret- 

 ty long : The Head lefler than in Gulls. The Wings in length are even with the Tail. 

 The Tail is a Palm long, and black : The Hips covered with feathers to the Knees, 

 which in other Gulls are not fb, but bare a little higher. Its Legs, Feet, and inter- 

 vening membranes cinereous : The Claws black, crooked, and fmall. 



Itdiffersfrom omCatarraffa chiefly, 1. In the colour of the underfide of the body : 

 2 . In the colour of the Feet : 3 . In the fmalnefs of the Claws. But thefe things not- 

 withftanding, perchance it may be the fame. For Aldrovandus ( as I gather from his 

 words ) took his defcription from a Picture. But Painters are not wont to be very 

 exa& either in exprefring of the colours, or delineating the parts. 



This defcription alfo doth in many things agree to that GuU which we fhall next de- 

 fcribe under the title of the Cornijh Wagel. 



§. III. 



The great 'grey < Gull \ which vee take to be the Comifo Wagel, called at Venice^ 



Martinazzo, at Amsterdam, the Burgomafter ofGroenlands 



An Larus albo-cinereus torque cinereo ofAldrov ? 



IT weighed twenty two ounces 3 being ftretcht out in length from the point of the 

 Bill to the end of the Feet twenty one inches and an halfj to the end of the Tail 

 twenty one : its breadth was fifty three inches. Its colour as well in the lower as up- 

 per fide was grey, fuch as is feen in the back of a wild DucJ^ or a Curlew, being mixed 

 of whitilh and brown. [ Mr, WiUughby gives alfo fome mixture of ferrugineous both 



to 



