i6o 
THE CONDOR 
VOL. VI 
made of it, as well for its Quality, as because it is not known whether there are 
any of the Species elsewhere. It is a Sea Fowl and Black. As to its size it is less 
than a Hen but has a long Neck and Eegs, and lays its Eggs in a light Sandy 
Ground. These Eggs are wonderful; for besides their being as large as a Gooses, 
when Boil’d there is very little White found in them, but all Yolk, yet not so well 
tasted as a Hens. The strangeness of them is, that contrary to all others, when 
the chickens are hatch’d the Volk appears whole and sweet as it was at first, with 
the Chickens Beak fast, and without any W’hite. By this it appears that it is not 
always true, that the generative Virtue of the Seed makes the Yolk Fruitful, and 
that in this Case the Yolk serves for the same use as Place^ita Uterina does to an 
Infant. 
“The Chickens roasted before they are fledg’d prove as good as the best 
Pigeons. The Spaniards very often eat the Chicken and the Yolk of the Egg to- 
gether in the same Dish. The old bird is eaten by the hidians, but is tough. The 
Hen lays about 40 or 50 Eggs in a Trench near the Sea and covers them with 
Sand. For this reason it is call’d I'avon, which in the language of the Islands sig- 
nifies to cover with Earth. There the heat of the Sand hatches them, and the 
Chickens feed on the Yolk, till they gather Strength to break the Shell, throw up 
the Sand and get out. Then the Hen which keeps about the neighboring Trees, 
runs about them making a Noise, and the young ones hearing her labor the hard- 
er to get out to her. 'I'his is no less w'onderful than what the Scripture says of the 
Ostriches ^ggs.Job 39. We see the disposition of Providence, in giving this Bird 
that Instinct to bury its Eggs so deep, and the Chicken such long Claw'S, as to 
make its w’ay. They make nests in March, April and May, like the Halcions the 
Antients make mention of; because at that time the Sea is Calmest, and the Waves 
do not swell so high as to spoil them. The Sailors go in quest of them along the 
shore, and where they find the Sand has been thrown up they open it with a 
stick, where they sometimes find Fggs and sometimes Chickens, which are equallj^ 
Valuable and Nourishing. 
“There is also a sort of Turtle-Dove with gray Feathers on the Back, and 
white on the Breast, in the midst whereof is a red Spot, like a Wound with the 
fresh Blood upon it."' 
“The Colhd is a Fowl as big as a Black-Bird, Black and Ash colour’d; without 
any Feathers on its Head, but instead of it a Crowm of Flesh. That is yet stranger 
'whxch. the. Spaniards caW Palonia-Torcas-^] it is of several colors, as Gray, Green, 
Red and White on the Breast, with the same Spot like a Wound on the Breast; 
and the Beak and F^eet Red. >!< 
“The Salan^an-'^ is a strange Bird of the Islands of Calamianes, Xolo and others. 
It is as big as a .Swallow, and builds a little Ne.st on the Rocks ov^er the Sea-shore. 
d Phlogttmis hizonica {'sco\)0\\]. Tlie plumaf>e is nnicli as described and very striking, the breast spot looking 
exactly like a blood-stained wound. I he genus contains about 30 .species of very beautilul ground doves inhabiting 
the islands of the .■\nstralian Region. Five sjiecies are found only in the Philippines. 
e Sai cops ca/viis Linnteiis. peculiar starling, the single species being confined to the Philippines. The word 
“Colin” or more properly ''Coling” is the native name in many parts of the Islands at the present time. 
/■'ITie “Paloraa-Torcaz” is doubtless /'W/o.cv/’^rt.v referred to above or possibly some other species of the 
genus. There is no other genus of dove in the Islands which has this peculiar breast mark. 
g Salangana francica (Gmelini. The author is quite correct in stating that this is one of the edible nest swifts. 
Seven species have been recorded from the Philippines. 
