HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
65 
Native Animals. 
- According to the Abbe de la Caille, monkies were brought into the Isle of 
France by the Portugueze. The Monkey of this island is of a moderate size, with 
hair of a reddish-grey colour, and rather thick. It has a long tail, and is gregarious. 
These animals frequently venture to plunder the houses of the inhabitants; on 
which occasion they place sentinels on the rocks and in the trees; and when they 
perceive- the'dogs and hunters coming in pursuit of them, they set up a cry, and 
the whole of this curious party decamps. It climbs the highest mountains, and 
reposes above the precipices, on the smallest projections. It is the only quadruped 
of its size that exposes itself in such a situation. 
It is supposed, that formerly the Flamingo (Phaenicopterus) was common in this 
island, but at present the number is reduced to a very few. It is a large handsome 
sea bird, whose plumage is an intermixture of black, white, and rose colour. 
There is a considerable number of Corbigeaux , which arh considered as the best 
game of the island: it is very difficult to shoot them. 
There are two sorts of the Faille en Cul (the Phaeton sethereus of Linn.) -, the 
one of a silver white; the other having the beak, claws, and rump, red. Although it 
be a sea bird, it builds its nest in the woods. The English call it the Tropic Bird. 
There are several kinds of Parroquets, with a gray capuche: they are of the size 
of a sparrow, but can never be tamed. They are good to eat. 
The woods produce Blackbirds, which at the call of the hunter come to the end 
of his gun. They are considered as game.' 
We shall now mention an animal of a very singular nature, which M. de Buffon 
calls the great Bat of Madagascar. 
It is about a foot in length, from its posterior extremity to its beak, and its wings 
stretch to about.four feet; it has large canine teeth, consisting of four in the upper, 
and as many in the lower jaw. Its muzzle is black and sharp; its ears large and 
bare; its talons are hooked, large, and compressed: it has no tail. These bats are 
of different colours; some of a bright red, others brown, and some are almost black. 
They resemble the common bat in their interior conformation, the shape of their 
wings, and the manner of spreading them when they fly. When these animals repose, 
they cling to the tbps of the highest trees, and hang with their beads downwards. 
At other times^’ they fix themselves upon animals, and even upon man himself. They 
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