the knees. Back toe, fmall.---Briffon has eighteen fpecies of this genus, and we are inclined to think them as common to the fhores of America as Europe, The Peterel, which forms this genus, inhabits all parts of the ocean; it braves and fports with the most furious ftorms, and some of the fpecies feem to enjoy thofe tremendous fcenes which fink the courage of the bravest men; they are found in great plenty in the feas near the cape of Good Hope and along the coafts of America, in the fame parallels. The characters of this genus are--- Bill, straight, except at the end, which is hooked.---Noftrils, cylindric and tubular.---Legs, naked above the knees.---No back toe, but a fharp fpur pointing downwards instead. The Merganfer is the fpecies that forms this genus; it is found in the north of Europe and north of America.--Its bill is flender, a little depreffed, furnished at the end with a crooked nail; edges of each mandible very fharply ferrated.---Nofirils, near the middle of the mandible small and fubovated.---Tongue, flender.---Feet, the exterior toe longer than the middle. The largest birds of this fpecies are between a duck and goose, the smaller about the fize of the duck. There are in the whole about seven species known. GEN. II. ANAS. This genus includes the whole of the duck tribe, under the name of Swan, Goose, Duck, Widgeon, Teal, &c. of which near seventy fpecies are known in America; of the fpecies of the swan only one, of the goofe ten, the reft ducks, &c. The diftinguishing characters of this genus are---Bill, ftrong, broad, flat or depreffed, and com monly furnished at the end with a nail, edges marked with fharp lamillæ.--Noftrils, fmall, oval.---Tongue, broad, edges near the bafe fringed.---Feet, middle toe the largest. GEN. 12. PELICANUS. The birds in this genus which may be faid to belong to America, or found in its feas, are the Pelican, of which there are two fpecies and four varieties belonging to that continent: the Boobies, fix fpecies; the Frigat or Man of War bird; and, according to the opinion of Buffon, the Garnet. The characters of the pelican are---Bill, long and straight, the end hooked or floping.---Noftrils, either entirely wanting, or fmall and placed in a furrow which runs along the fides of 3 F VOL. IV. the the bill.-Face, naked.-Gullet, naked, and capable of great dif tenfion.-Toes, all four webbed. GEN. 13. PHAETON. This genus is formed of the tropic birds; a class of the winged tribe, whose favourite haunts are the fequeftered islands of India and America. There are three fpecies known.-The bill is compreffed flightly floping down, point sharp, under mandible angular. -Noftrils, pervious.---Foes, all four webbed.---Tail, cuneiform, two middle feathers tapering and extending to a vaft length beyond the others. GEN. 14. PLOTUS. Characters---Bill, long, ftraight, sharp-pointed.---Neck, of a great length.---Face and gullet, covered with feathers.---Toes, all four webbed. The darter or anhinga is the only bird in this genus. We believe there are three fpecies, befides varieties, in the fouthern part of the new continent. GEN. 15. The penguin may be confidered as the link between birds and fishes.---Its bill is strong and straight, bending only a little towards the point.---Fongue, covered with ftrong, fharp fpines, pointing backwards.---Wings, very fmall, pendulous, useless for flight, covered with mere flat fhafts.---Body, covered with thick, fhort fea thers, with broad fhafts placed as compactly as fcales.---Legs, fhort and thick, placed entirely behind.---Toes, four standing forward, the interior loose, the rest webbed.---Tail, confifting of only broad shafts. There are two species found on the coasts of South-America.* *We noticed at the beginning of this account of American birds, that in the divifion and orders we had followed Mr. Pennant-the feveral genera are as claffed by Linnæus, except where otherwife mentioned. REPTILES REPTILES OF AMERICA. IMPERFECT as the lift of American quadrupeds and birds must be confeffed to be, thofe of the reptiles, fishes, and infects must be much more fo; few have been the characters who, with leisure and abilities, have poffeffed the inclination for these researches, and those who have attempted any thing of this kind, have contented themselves with very partial advances, or have found fuch difficulties as have prevented any great progrefs; they have, however, done fufficient, we truft, to stimulate others to a farther purfuit, and we may reasonably hope that a few years will open to us a more particular acquaintance with the woods, the marshes, the mountains, and waters of the new continent. The following lifts in a more particular manner refer to North-America, though perhaps the greater part are found all over the continent. This formidable animal has a vast mouth, furnished with fharp teeth; from the back to the end of the tail Terrated; skin tough and brown, and covered on the fides wita tubercles. Grows to the length of from eighteen to twenty-three feet. This dreadful species is found in the warmer parts of North-America, and moft numerous as we approach the fouth, and the more fierce and ravenous; yet in Carolina it never devours the human fpecies, but on the contrary, fhuns mankind, yet will kill dogs as they fwim in the rivers, and hogs which feed in the fwamps. It is often feen floating like a log of wood on the furface of the water, and is mistaken for fuch by dogs, and other animals, which it feizes and draws under water to devour at its leifure. Like the wolf, when preffed by long hunger, it will fwallow mud, and even stones, and pieces of wood. They often get into the wears in purfuit of fish, and do much mifchief by breaking them to pieces. They are torpid during the winter in Carolina, and retire into their dens, which they form by burrowing far under ground; it makes the entrance under water, and works upwards. In fpring it quits its retreat, and reforts to the rivers, which it swims up and down, and chiefly feeks its prey near the mouth, where the water is brackish. It roars and makes a dreadful noife at its first leaving its den, and against bad wea ther. It lays a vaft number of eggs in the fand, near the banks of lakes and rivers, and leaves them to be hatched by the fun: multitudes are deftroyed as foon as harched, either, by their own fpecies, or by fifh of prey, In South-America the carrion vulture is the inftrument of Providence to deftroy multitudes, by that means preventing the country from being rendered uninhabitable. Bartram, in his account of his travels, has given a very particular account of thefe creatures. + This little creature is totally green; very flender; tail near double the length of the body, and its whole length about five inches. It inhabits Carolina, is domeftic, familiar, and harmless; fports on tables and windows, and amule by its agility in catching flies, gazes at mankind without concern; fwells |