BRITISH BIRDS* 
326 
all the reft follow the example, and numbers are 
entangled in the floating meflies of the net. In this 
way it is faid that fometimes twenty or thirty dozen 
have been taken in a fingle tide. Thefe birds are 
fold to the Roman catholics, who eat them on faft 
days and in lent, when their religious ordinances 
have forbidden the ufe of all animal food, except 
fifli ; but thefe birds, and a few others of the fame 
fifliy flavour, have been exempted from the inter- 
dia, on the fuppofition of their being cold blooded, 
and partaking of the nature of fifli. 
The Scoters feldom quit the fea, upon which 
they are very nimble, and are indefatigable expert 
divers ; but they fly heavily, near the furface of the 
water, and to no great diftance, and are faid to 
walk aukwardly ereft on the land. 
