i6i Mr. Ray to Dr. Robitifbti. 



in the Defcription, (had I not been blinded with Pre- 

 judice, and fo lightly pafled it over, and not heeded 

 it,) to determine its Genus^ at leaft, and to exclude it 

 from thofe of the Mergi and Colymbi; and that was, 

 that it had a flat Bitt^ which is a Note common to 

 no other Birds that I know of but the Goofe and 

 Duck-Kinds. Not with Handing what he ikith of the 

 Debility of its Feet unfit for walking on Land, I 

 fee not but that it may march as well as the reft of 

 of its Kind 3 all which have but ftiort and weak Legs 

 in Proportion to the Bulk of their Bodies, and thofe 

 alfo fituate very backward. What he faith of the 

 Smalnefs and Weaknefs of the Wings, and Shortnefs 

 of their Feathers, is common to many Sea- Fowl, viz. 

 the TridaSlyla and Mergi, which yet by the nimble 

 Agitation of them fly very fwiftly and ftrongly. What 

 he faith of the Mobility of the upper Mandible of 

 the Jaw, I fhall not be too hafty to believe, as in a 

 former Letter I remember to have written. 



Now though this Bird happened to \?c known to 

 me by another Name, yet is it fo rare and uncom- 

 mon, that I take it not to have been defcribed by 

 any that have written the Hiftory of Birds before ; 

 tho' (as I remember) the Name of Macreufe is men- 

 tioned by Gefner ox,Aldrovand^ or both. Why they 

 of the Church of Rome ftiould allow this Bird to be 

 eaten in Lmt r and upon other Falling Days, more 

 than others of this Kind, but efpecially the T'rida- 

 Wylk) I fee no Reafon : The Flefh of thefe laft, 

 which live only or chiefly by preying upon Fifh pro- 

 perly fo called, tailing ftronger of Fifh than that of 

 any Ducks which feed upon Shell- fifh. Many Birds 

 of the Duck-kind., which (as I faid) all feed, partly 

 at leall, upon Shell-fifh,(as Monfieur Graindorge found 

 the Macreufe alfo to do) have, a delicate and well- 

 tailed Flefhj as for Example, the common Mallard 

 and feal : Whereas the Flelh of all thofe Kinds that 

 feed w holly or chiefly upon Filh, properly fo called, 



is 



