Anseri Bassano congener Avis fluviatalis: The Great Booby. It's Size is about that of a Goose, the Head and Neck remarkably
thick the Bill large, and almost Six Inches in length, a channel
or cranny extends from one End to the other of the Upper Mandible.
The Wings extended six Feet, and when clos'd, reach to the End of
the Tail. The middle Feather of the Tail was longest, the Rest gradually
decreasing in length, the Eyes are large, of a hazel Colour, encompassed
with a Skin bare of Feathers. These Birds were of a dark brown colour,
elegantly spotted with white on their Heads, the Spots are thick
and small, on the Neck and Breast they are thinner and broader,
and on the Back thinnest and broadest. The Wings are likewise spotted,
except the large Quill-Feathers and the Tail, which are brown. The
Belly of a dusky white. The Feet black, and shaped like those of
a Cormorant. That which is most remarkable in these Birds is, that
the Upper Mandible of the Bill, two Inches below the Angle of the
Mouth is jointed, by which it can raise it from the lower Mandible
two Inches, without opening their Mouths.
This Bird so nearly resembles the Booby (particularly in the singular
Structure of the Bill) that I thought the Name of Great Booby agreed
best with it. It frequents large Rivers, and plunges into them after
Fish, in like Manner as the Booby does at Sea, continuing under
Water a considerable Time, and there pursuing the Fish: And as as
I have several times found them disabled and sometimes dead on the
Shore, probably they meet with Sharks and other large voracious
Fishes that maim and sometimes devour them. They frequent the Rivers
and Sea Coast of Florida. The Colours of the Cock are brighter,
and more beautiful than those of the Hen.
An Thymelaea foliis obtusis.
This Shrub riseth to the Height of eight or ten Foot, with a small
Trunc covered with a whitish Bark, the Leaves are placed alternately
on Footstalks, one third of an Inch long, narrow at the Beginning,
growing broader and rounding at the Ends, two Inches long, and one
over, where broadest of a shining Green, with one single Rib. The
Flowers are tubulous, divided at Top into four Sections, they are
white, except that within the Cup there is a faint Tincture of red,
they grow in Bunches at the Ends of the Branches.
These Shrubs grow in many of the Bahama-Islands on the Rocky
Shores amongst Sedge.
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