4 8o HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



juice of the palm-tree, with which they will frequently 

 intoxicate themfelves, fo as to drop on the ground. One 

 hundred and fifty or two hundred of them may fome- 

 times be feen on the fame tree, all hanging with their 

 heads down, and their wings folded; and in this manner 

 they repofe during great part of the day. — They grow ve- 

 ry fat at certain times of the year; and when young, 

 they are eaten by the Indians, and confidered as excel- 

 lent food. 



The ROUGETTE, or Lesser 

 Ternate BAT, 



inhabits the fame countries, and is very fimilar to the 

 laft in the fhape of its head and body : The hair is of a 

 cinerous brown colour; and on the neck it has a half- 

 collar, of a lively red, mixed with orange. It is about 

 five inches long ; and the extent of its wings little more 

 than two feet. 



The Rougettes fly in flocks, and perfectly obfcure the 

 air with their numbers. They fly from one ifland to 

 another, and begin their flight about fun-fet. During 

 the day they lodge in the hollow trunks of trees. They 

 lkim along the furface of the water with great eafe, and 

 frequently dip and warn themfelves in the fea. They 

 live chiefly in trees ; and when about to fly, they beat 

 the air with their wings, before they can difengage 

 themfelves from the branch to which they are attached. 

 When {hot at or fuddenly furprifed, feveral of them fall 

 to the ground ; and in that fituation are incapable of re- 

 fuming their flight, till they climb upon fome elevated 

 obje£t. They move aukwardly on the ground, and ufe 

 their utmoft efforts to quit it as foon as poflible. 



