A Man,
whereby they often make Strangers lose their way in the Woods.
{Scritch Owls.}
Scritch Owls, much the same as in Europe.
{Baltimore-Bird.}
The Baltimore-Bird, so call'd from the Lord Baltimore,
Proprietor of all Maryland, in which Province many of them are found.
They are the Bigness of a Linnet, with yellow Wings, and beautiful
in other Colours.
{Throstle.}
Throstle, the same Size and Feather as in Europe, but I never could hear
any of them sing.
{Weet Bird.}
The Weet, so call'd because he cries always before Rain;
he resembles nearest the Fire-tail.
{Cranes and Storks.}
Cranes use the Savannas, low Ground, and Frogs; they are above five Foot-high,
when extended; are of a Cream Colour, and have a Crimson Spot
on the Crown of their Heads. Their Quills are excellent for Pens;
their Flesh makes the best Broth, yet is very hard to digest.
Among them often frequent Storks, which are here seen, and no where besides
in America, that I have yet heard of. The Cranes are easily
bred up tame, and are excellent in a Garden to destroy Frogs, Worms,
and other Vermine.
{Snow-Birds.}
The Snow-Birds are most numerous in the North Parts of America,
where there are great Snows. They visit us sometimes in Carolina,
when the Weather is harder than ordinary. They are like the Stones Smach,
or Wheat-Ears, and are delicate Meat.
{Yellow Wings.}
These Yellow-Wings are a very small Bird, of a Linnet's Colour,
but Wings as yellow as Gold. They frequent high up in our Rivers, and Creeks,
and keep themselves in the thick Bushes, very difficult to be seen
in the Spring. They sing very prettily.
{Whippoo-Will.}
Whippoo-Will, so nam'd, because it makes those Words exactly.
They are the Bigness of a Thrush, and call their Note under a Bush,
on the Ground, hard to be seen, though you hear them never so plain.
They are more plentiful in Virginia, than with us in Carolina;
for I never heard but one that was near the Settlement, and that was hard-by
an Indian Town.
{Red Sparrow.}
This nearest resembles a Sparrow, and is the most common Small-Bird we have,
therefore we call them so. They are brown, and red, cinnamon Colour, striped.
{Water Fowl.}
Of the Swans we have two sorts; the one we call Trompeters;
because of a sort of trompeting Noise they make.
{Swans.}
These are the largest sort we have, which come in great Flocks in the Winter,
and stay, commonly, in the fresh Rivers till February,
that the Spring comes on, when they go to the Lakes to breed.
A Cygnet, that is, a last Year's Swan, is accounted a delicate Dish,
as indeed it is. They are known by their Head and Feathers,
which are not so white as Old ones.
{Hooper.}
The sort of Swans call'd Hoopers, are the least. They abide more
in the Salt-Water, and are equally valuable, for Food, with the former.
It is observable, that neither of these have a black Piece of horny Flesh
down the Head, and Bill, as they have in England.
{Wild Geese.}
Of Geese we have three sorts, differing from each other only in size.
Ours are not the common Geese that are in the Fens in England,
but the other sorts, with black Heads and Necks.
{Gray Brants.}
The gray Brant, or Barnicle, is here very plentiful, as all
other Water-Fowl are, in the Winter-Season. They are the same
which they call Barnicles in Great-Britain, and are a very good Fowl,
and eat well.
{White Brant.}
There is also a white Brant, very plentiful in America.
This Bird is all over as white as Snow, except the Tips of his Wings,
and those are black. They eat the Roots of Sedge and Grass
in the Marshes and Savannas, which they tear up like Hogs.
The best way to kill these Fowl is, to burn a Piece of Marsh, or Savanna,
and as soon as it is burnt, they will come in great Flocks to get the Roots,
where you kill what you please of them. They are as good Meat as the other,
only their Feathers are stubbed, and good for little.
{Sea-Pie, or Curlue.}
The Sea-Pie, or gray Curlue, is about the Bigness of a very large Pigeon,
but longer. He has a long Bill as other Curlues have,
which is the Colour of an English Owsel's, that is, yellow; as are his Legs.
He frequents the Sand-beaches on the Sea-side, and when kill'd,
is inferiour to no Fowl I ever eat of.
{Will Willet.}
Will Willet is so called from his Cry, which he very exactly
calls Will Willet, as he flies. His Bill is like a Curlue's, or Woodcock's,
and has much such a Body as the other, yet not so tall. He is good Meat.
{Great gray Gull.}
The great gray Gulls are good Meat, and as large as a Pullet.
They lay large Eggs, which are found in very great Quantities,
on the Islands in our Sound, in the Months of June, and July.
The young Squabs are very good Victuals, and often prove a Relief
to Travellers by Water, that have spent their Provisions.
{Old Wives.}
Old Wives are a black and white pied Gull with extraordinary long Wings,
and a golden colour'd Bill and Feet. He makes a dismal Noise, as he flies,
and ever and anon dips his Bill in the Salt-Water. I never knew him eaten.
{Sea-Cock.}
The Sea-Cock is a Gull that crows at Break of Day, and in the Morning,
exactly like a Dunghil Cock, which Cry seems very pleasant
in those uninhabited Places.
