Plate Number: I 86

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.