From The History Of This Bird, Which Was Of The
Common Species, We May Deduce The Circumstances That Bring Solitary
Land-Birds A Great Way Out To Sea.
It seems to be probable, that they
begin with following a ship, from the time she leaves the land; that
they are soon lost in the great ocean, and are thus obliged to
continue close to the ship, as the only solid mass in this immense
fluid expanse.
If two or more ships are in company, it is also easy to
account for the expression of meeting with land-birds at a great
distance from land, because they may happen to follow some other ship
from the shore, than that which carries the observer; thus they may
escape observation for a day or two, or perhaps longer, and when
noticed, are supposed to be met with at sea. However, great storms
are sometimes known to have driven single birds, nay, vast flocks, out
to sea, which are obliged to seek for rest on board of ships at
considerable distances from any land. Captain Cook very obligingly
communicated to me a fact which confirms the above assertion. "Being
on board of a ship between Norway and England, he met with a violent
storm, during which a flight of several hundred birds covered the
whole rigging of the ship. Among numbers of small birds he observed
several hawks, which lived very luxuriously by preying on those poor
defenceless creatures." - G.F.
To record incidents such as these, will not seem unimportant or
injudicious to any one who knows the philosophical value of facts in
the formation of just theories.
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