^34 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
webs of deep brown : the legs and toes are covered 
with coarfe black fcales ; the claws are ftrong and 
hooked, the inner one more fo than the reft. 
This fierce fpecies is met with by navigators in 
the high latitudes of both hemifpheres, where they 
are much more common than in the warm or tem- 
perate parts of the globe. In Captain Cook’s voy- 
ages round the world, -they are often mentioned, 
and, from their being numerous about the Falkland 
Ifles, the feamen called them Port-Egmont Hens. 
They are alfo common in Norway, Iceland, the 
Shetland and Ferro Ifles, &c. It is faid that they 
prey not only upon fifh, but alfo upon the leflfer 
forts of water-fowl, and even upon young lambs : 
this, however, is doubted, and, by fome of the 
northern iflanders, even denied : they on the con- 
trary aflert, that thefe birds afford protedion to the 
flocks, by driving away the Eagle, which they fu- 
rioufly attack whenever it comes within their reach, 
and on this account they are highly valued. It is, 
however, well afcertained that they are uncommon- 
ly courageous in defence of their own young, and 
that they feize, with the utmoft vengeance, upon 
any animal, whether man or beaft, that offers to 
difturb their nefts ; and it is faid alfo, that they 
fometimes attack the Ihepherds even while they are 
watching their flocks upon the hills, who are obliged, 
in their own defence, to guard their heads, and to 
ward off the blows of the affailants by holding a 
