Ch.I. south AMERICA. 295 



had a very hollow fea, and at the fame time the at-, 

 mofphere To hazy, that fometimes we loft fight of the 

 other fliips. This fog precipitated itfelf in a mizzling 

 rain, which continued inceffently two days after the 

 ftorm was over. 



On the 20th we were amufed with the fight of ^ 

 great number of birds of all fizes, and among them 

 one larger than a goofe, and entirely black. On the 

 2ift their numbers increafed, fome of which were 

 larger than the Quebrantahueflbs, but feemed to be 

 of the fame fpecies. All the feathers of this bird 

 were white, except thofe on the upper part of its 

 wings, which were brown. Its wings were long, 

 flender, and fomething curved. On the 2 2d, when 

 we were in the latitude of 51% 2', and 9% 35' weft 

 of the meridian of Conception, they continued with 

 us in the fame numbers. On the 23d they increafed, 

 and among them were feveral gulls. The feathers on 

 the bodies of the latter were white, their tails fhort and 

 broad, their necks large but well proportioned, and 

 their heads and beaks anfwerable : on the upper parts 

 of their wings the feathers were black, and white un- 

 derneath ; the wings very difproportionate in length, 

 and confiderably crooked at the middle articulation. 

 This bird flies very fwifc, fom^etimes juft above the 

 furface of the water, then mounts into the air ; and 

 after taking two or three gyrations, they again dart 

 down near the water's edge. On the 2 5th, the weather 

 being foggy, with a mizzling rain, in the latitude 55% 

 6', and 6% 42"', weft of the meridian of Conception, 

 we faw great numbers of birds, and among them the 

 QuebrantahuelTos of both the kinds already mentioned, 

 and on the 26th feveral Toninas, a kind of wild ducks. 



On the 27th we had little or no wind, with fnow 

 and hail. The birds fliewed themiyves in greater 

 numbers and variety than before hht the moft nu- 

 merous were gulls, like thofe already defcribed, but 

 the colours fomething different ^ fome being of an alh 

 3 colour ; 



