Cap. XV. The Caribby-Jflands. 



HE Fx ON S y and fever al other Sea and 

 Kiver-Fowl. 



THere are feen neer thefe Illands, and fbmetimes at a great 

 diftance from them in the Sea, certain Birds perfectly 

 white, whole beaks and feet arenas red as Coral 3 they are fome- 

 what bigger then Crows : they are conceiv'd to be a kind of 

 Herons, becaufe their tails confift of two long and precious 

 feathers, by which they are diftinguifh'd from all other Birds 

 frequenting the Sea. 



Among the Birds frequenting Rivers and Ponds there are 

 found in thefe Countries Plovers, Duelers , Moore-hens , or 

 Coots, Wild-Ducks^ and Wild-Geefe^ as alfo a kind of Ducks, 

 which having the whole body as white as fnow, have thek 

 beaks and feet as black as may be 5 and a kind of Herons of an 

 admirable whitenefs, about the bignefs of a Pigeon, but beaked 

 like a Wood-cock : they live on fifth , and delight in fandy 

 places, and on rocks : They are much fought after for that pre- 

 cious Plume of fine Feathers, foft as any filk, which is had 

 from them : but inafmuch as all thefe are common in other 

 places, we may forbear the defcriptions thereof. 



CRAW-FOWL. 



THere is in all thefe Iflands a large Bird which lives only 

 on fifh : it is about the bignefs of a great Duck, and the 

 feathers are of an Afh-colour, and hideous to the eye : it hath 

 a long and flat beak, a great head, fmall eyes deep fetin his 

 head, and a neck ^ibrt enough, under which hangs a kind of 

 craw or bag fo big that it may contain a great pale of water : 

 From which defcription we may call him the Craw -Fowl, as the 

 French have properly termed him, Grand-gofier : Thefe Birds 

 are commonly found upon Trees on the Sea-fide, where they 

 lye in ambufh to difcover their prey 5 for as foon as they per- 

 ceive a fifh, as it were between wind and water, fo as that they 

 have them at advantages, they fall upon it, and feife it .* they 

 will fwallow down great fifties whole they are alfo fo atten- 

 tive on their fifhing, that having their eye continually fixt on 

 the Sea whence they expect their prey, they are eafily fhotj 

 and become it themfelves to others .* they are a ftupid and me- 

 lancholy kind of Bird, fuitably to their employment : they 

 arefo excellently well lighted, that they difcover fifh at a great 

 diftance in the Sea, and above a fathom under water j but they 

 ftay till they become up almoft even with it before they offer 

 at them : their flefh is not to be eaten. 



COOT, 



