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OLAFSEN AND POVELSEX's 



searches below. Another method is to let themselves "do <Vn hy 

 a strong -line, made with from four to seven thongs of ox-hide ; 

 which not only supports the weight of a man, but likewise of all 

 the birds he can take : and five or six men remain at top to lower 

 or draw him up. 



We had some difficulty to believe the account of Debes, p. 1 38, 

 relative to the removal of the young diving-fowl from their 

 nests ; for, according to him, the old hen carries them on her 

 back: but as we had never seen any thing of the kind, we took 

 particular pains to inform ourselves of the fact. In the first place, 

 most of these birds fly too heavily, and their wings are too short, 

 to carry their young; which are very fat, and nearly of their own 

 size. The following particulars, however, may be relied on : — ■ 

 As soon as the young has moulted, or changed its first down, the 

 old one cea>es to bring it food ; but nevertheless continues to 

 visit the nest, and exercise its wings before it, to induce the young 

 to fly. At length the latter, perceiving the old bird to dart with 

 vigour in the air, and impelled by hunger, approaches nearer and 

 nearer to the extremity of the precipices : and here we are 

 obliged to admire the infinite wisdom of nature, which has 

 given the old birds an instinct that informs them their young 

 have not sufficient strength, agility of limbs, nor size of wings, to 

 enable them to fly through the air; hence they carefully watch 

 the moment when the young bird first attempts to fly. The old 

 hen and cock then drop below it, and extend their wings in such 

 a manner that the extremities nearly touch each other : the young 

 bird does its best, but falls backwards and forwards on account of 

 the shortness of its wings. As soon as it is in a train for flight, 

 the old ones cut through the air, scarcely moving their expanded 

 wings, and direct their course obliquely towards the ground : 

 during which time they let the young bird support its neck upon 

 their united wings; and their bodies behig at a sufficient distance, 

 it has room to move its own. It is curious to see this family 

 arrive in the water, which is then covered with birds of the 

 same species : for they all endeavour to prevent the novice from 

 failing in ; and, receiving it with great noise, give it a place among, 

 them, and accustom it to swim. The duration of the life of 

 these birds is unknown, as is likewise the age at which they begin 

 to propagate. When the old bir* s descend to the plains for the 

 first time in spring, they are always accompanied by their young; 

 which the people endeavour to catch, because they are very fat 

 and delicate. 



There is a very high mountain in this district, which is much fre- 

 quented by the birds in question; and has the following remarkable 

 peculiarity, as can be testified by all the inhabitants of the neigh- 

 bourhood; When they approach it in a boat, in search of birds, or 



