3o5 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



May, when the wind fettled to the eaftward; we ftcercd 

 N. and N, one quarter eafterly to the 1 5th, when find- 

 ing oiirfelves in the latitude of 4 deg. S. being nearly 

 the fame with that of Fernando de Norona, we flood 

 diredly W. and having fight of it at half an hour 

 after nine in the rriorning of the 2ifl of May, all 

 the frigates at half an hour after three in the even- 

 ing, came to an anchor in the road, to our no 

 fmali joy. This voyage had continued an hundred 

 and fifty days, and been attended with great fatigue 

 and anxiety, on account of the bad condition of our 

 frigate. For more than once, we had the greateft 

 reafon to apprehend fhe v/ould founder before we 

 had time to provide for our fafety. 



From the 6th of April, we faw no birds till the 

 fecond of May, when being in the lat itude of 20^ 18', 

 we faw an Rabiahorcado, which the French call Tail- 

 leu r, the taylor, from the form and motion of its 

 tail. This bird is about the fize of a wood pigeon, 

 with 2L lliort neck, a proportionate bill, and its 

 wings very long, broad and curved. The tail feemed 

 to be compofed of very few feathers, and thefe divid- 

 ing at the root, fo as to reprefent a pair of fciffars 

 opened ^ but when it is on the wing, it fliuts and opens 

 them at pleafure, reprefenting the manner of ufing 

 that inftrumentr The tv;o blades, of which the tail 

 confifts, are very long in proportion to die body of 

 the bird i and together with the whole plumage are of 

 a fine gloffy black, except the breafl, which is a fort 

 of very pale aili colour. It flies very fwiftly, and 

 generally high, never being feen low, but when ho- 

 vering about a fliip, a^s, if intending to fettle on it. 



On the 4th of May we lav/ a pardeia as large as a wood 

 pigeon the feathers on its belly, bread, and under the 

 wings, were an aili colour; and thofe on the neck, head, 

 and upper part of the wings, of a dark brown. Froni 

 this day, when in the latitude of 19^ 40^, till the twelfth, 

 when we came into ten degrees, weconilantly faw fon>e 



though 



