hitherto copied,) is diftinguifhed by an afpect of fuch 

 confirmed ftupidity, as to have obtained the trivial 

 name of heptus. In fize it is laid at lean: to equal, if 

 not exceed, a fwan, but in fhape and general appear- 

 ance forms a ftriking contrail to that elegant bird. Its 

 prevailing colour is black, but the middle of the wings, 

 the belly, and fome of the tail feathers are white, or 

 nearly fo. The beak, which is of a very lingular form, 

 and of enormous fize, is diftinguiihed near the tip by 

 a large red patch on the upper part ; while the bafe or 

 broad part runs far back over the front, fo as to give 

 the face a fort of hooded appearance. It is aftoniming 

 that in the prefent improved ftate of natural hiftory, we 

 fhould ftill be at a lofs for a fingle fpecimen of this 

 extraordinary bird, which, fo far as I am able to dis- 

 cover, has fcarce been imported into Europe fince the 

 year 1598, nearly at which period it is faid to have been 

 brought from the little ifland of Mauritius in the Eaft 

 Indies. It has been defcribed by feveral authors, as 

 Nieremberg, Bon tins, and Clufius, amongft the older 

 writers, and by the Count de Buffon, Edwards, Briffon, 

 and others amongft the moderns. Were it not, how- 

 ever, for the attentions of Herbert and others, who 

 profefs to have feen it in its native regions, together 

 with that of Mr. Willoughby, who afflires us that he 

 faw a fkin of it in the Mufeum of Sir John Tradeicant, 

 we might be almoft inclined to call in queftion the ex- 

 iftence of fo lingular an animal. The original figure 

 above mentioned, and which has been repeated by fo 

 many authors, is preferved in the Britifli Mufeum. 

 This bird is faid to be granivorous and of a gentle 

 nature. With refpedt to its merit as an article of food, 



the 



