Strength of to each arm, acting in oppofite directions. Thus the centre Materials became the neutral point, and the refiftance to twist was || found to be ds of the fimple lateral strength.

Stretto.

128

Experi

ments on

on rimber

We beg leave to mention here that our fuccefs in these experiments encouraged us to extend them much farther. We hoped by these means to discover the abfolute cohesion of chalk, clay, many substances, which would have required an enormous apAnd wax, paratus and a most unmanageable force to tear them afunder fatisfactory; directly. But we could reafon with confidence from the but thofe refiftance to twift (which we could easily measure), provided that we could ascertain the proportion of the direct and the irregular. lateral ftrengths. Our experiments on chalk, finely prepared clay, and white bees-wax (of one melting and one temperature), were very confiftent and fatisfactory. But we have hitherto found great irregularities in this proportion in bodies of a fibrous texture like timber. These are the most important cases, and we ftill hope to be able to accomplish our project, and to give the public fome valuable information. This being our fole object, it was our duty to mention the method which promises fuccefs, and thus excite others to the task; and it will be no mortification to us to be deprived of the honour of being the first who thus adds to the ftock of experimental knowledge.

129

Concluding <rema ks.

When the matter of the axle is of the moft fimple texture, such as that of metals, we do not conceive that the length of the axle has any influence on the fracture. It is otherwife if it be of a fibrous texture like timber: the fibres are bent before breaking, being twifted into fpirals like a cork-fcrew. The length of the axle has fomewhat of the influence of a lever in this cafe, and it is easier wrenched afunder if long. Accordingly we have found it so; but we have not been able to reduce this influence to calculation.

Our readers are requested to accept of thefe endeavours to communicate information on this important and difficult fubject. We are duly fenfible of their imperfection, but flatter ourselves that we have in many inftances pointed out the method which must be pursued for improving_our knowledge on this fubject; and we have given the English reader a more copious lift of experiments on the ftrength of materials than he will meet with in our language. Many ufeful deductions might be made from thefe premises refpecting the manner of difpofing and combining the ftrength of materials in our ftructures. The best form of joints, mortifes, tenons, scarphs; the rules for joggling, tabling, faying, fishing, &c. practifed in the delicate art of maft-making, are all founded on this doctrine: but the difcuffion of these would be equivalent to writing a complete treatife of carpentry. We hope that this will be executed by fome intelligent mechanician, for there is nothing in our language on this fubject but what is almost contemptible; yet there is no mechanic art that is more fufceptible of fcientific treatment. Such a treatise, it well executed, could not fail of being well received by the public in this age of mechanical improvement.

STRENGTHENERS, or CORROBORANTS, fuch medicines as add to the bulk and firmness of the folids; and fuch are all agglutinant and aftringent medicines. See MaTERIA MEDICA, p. 649. art. 6.

STRETCHING, in navigation, is generally underfood to imply the progreffion of a ship under a great furface of fail, when clofe-hauled. The difference between this term and ftanding, confifts apparently in the quantity of fail; which in the latter may be very moderate; but stretching generally fignifics excefs: as, we faw the enemy at day break ftretching to the fouthward under a croud of fail, &c. Falconer.

STRETTO, in Italian mufic, is fometimes used to fignify that the measure is to be fhort and concife, and confequently quick. In this fenfe it ftands oppofed to LARGO.

STRIATED LEAF, among botanists, one that has a Striated number of longitudinal furrows on its furface.

STRIKE, a measure of capacity, containing four bufhels. Alfo an inftrument used in measuring corn.

STRIX, the owL, in ornithology, a genus belonging to the order of accipitres. The bill is hooked, but has no cere or wax; the noftrils are covered with fetaceous feathers; the head is very large, as are also the ears and eyes; and the tongue is bifid. There are 46 fpecies; the mot remarkable are,

1. The bubo, or great-eared owl, in fize is almoft equal to an eagle. Irides bright yellow; head and whole body finely varied with lines, fpots, and fpecks of black, brown, cinereous, and ferruginous. Wings long; tail fhort, marked with dusky bars. Legs thick, covered to the very end of the toes with a clofe and full down of a teftaceous colour. Claws great, much hooked, and dusky. It has been shot in It inhabits inacceffible rocks Scotland and in Yorkshire. and defert places; and preys on hares and feathered game. Rome Its appearance in cities was deemed an unlucky omen; itself once underwent a luftration because one of them ftrayed into the capitol. The ancients had them in the utmost abhorrence; and thought them, like the fcreech-owls, the meffengers of death. Pliny ftyles it bubo funebris, and nodis monftrum.

VIRGIL

Solaque culminibus ferali carmine bubo Sæpe queri et longas in flétum ducere voces. Perch'd on the roof, the bird of night complains, In lengthen'd fhrieks and dire funereal ftrains. 2. The otus, or long-eared owl, is feund, though not frequently, in the north of England, in Chefhire, and in Wales. Mr Haffelquift faw it alive in Cairo, and it is Its weight, according not unfrequent all over Egypt. to Dr Latham, is nine ounces; the length 14 inches and a half; the breadth 34; the irides are of a bright yellow; the bill black; the breast and belly are of a dull yellow, marked with flender brown ftrokes pointing downwards; the thighs and vent feathers of the fame colour, but unfpotted. The back and coverts of the wings are varied with deep brown and yellow; the quill-feathers of the fame colour, but near the ends of the outmost is a broad bar of red; the tail is marked with dusky and reddish bars, but beneath appears afh-coloured; the horns or cars are about an inch long, and confift of fix feathers variegated with yellow and black; the feet are feathered down to the claws.

3. The brachyotos, or fhort eared owl, is 14 inches long; three feet broad; the head is fmall and hawk-like; the bill is dufky; weight 14 ounces; the circle of feathers that immediately furrounds the eyes is black; the larger circle white, terminated with tawny and black; the feathers on the head, back, and coverts of the wings, are brown, edged with pale dull yellow; the breast and belly are of the fame colour, marked with a few long narrow ftreaks of brown pointing downwards; the quill-feathers are dusky, barred with red; the tail is of a very deep brown, adorned on each fide of the fhaft of the four middle feathers with a yellow circle which contains a brown fpot; the tip of the tail is white. The horns of this fpecies are very fmall, and each consists of only a fingle feather; thefe it can raife or deprefs at pleasure ; and in a dead bird are with difficulty difcovered. This kind is fearcer than the former; both are folitary birds, avoiding inhabited places. These species may be called long-winged owls; the wings when closed reaching beyond the end of the tail; whereas in the common kinds they fall fhort of it.-This is a bird of paffage, and has been obferved to vifit Lincolnfhire in the beginning of October, and

E 2

to

Strix.

to retire early in the fpring; fo probably, as it performs its migrations with the woodcock, its fummer-retreat is Norway. During day it lies hid in long old grafs; when di fturbed, it seldom flies far, but will light, and fit looking at one, at which time the horns may be feen very diftinctly. It has not been obferved to perch on trees like other owls; it usually flies in fearch of prey in cloudy hazy weather. Farmers are fond of seeing these birds in the fields, as they clear them from mice. It is found frequently on the hill of Hoy in the Orkneys, where it flies about and preys by day like a hawk. It is found alfo, as we mentioned before, in Lancashire, which is a hilly and woody country; and in New England and Newfoundland.

4. The flammea, or common white owl. The elegant plumage of this bird makes amends for the uncouthnefs of its form: a circle of foft white feathers furround the eyes. The upper part of the body, the coverts, and fecondary feathers of the wings, are of a fine pale yellow on each fide of the fhafts are two grey and two white spots placed alternate: the exterior fides of the quill-feathers are yellow; the interior white, marked on each fide with four black spots: the lower fide of the body is wholly white; the interior fides of the feathers of the tail are white; the exterior marked with fome obfcure dufky bars; the legs are feathered to the feet: the feet are covered with short hairs: the edge of the middle claw is ferrated. The ufual weight I ounces; its length 14 inches; its breadth 3 feet. This fpecies is almost domeftic; inhabiting, for the greatest part of the year, barns, hay-lofts, and other out houfes; and is as useful in clearing thofe places from mice as the congenial cat towards twilight it quits its perch, and takes a regular circuit round the fields, fkimming along the ground in queft of field-mice, and then returns to its ufual refidence: in the breeding-feason it takes to the eaves of churches, holes in lofty buildings, or hollows of trees. During the time the young are in the neft, the male and female alternately fally out in queft of food, make their circuit, beat the fields with the regularity of a spaniel, and drop inftant ly on their prey in the grafs. They very feldom ftay out above five minutes; return with their prey in their claws; but as it is neceffary to fhift it into their bill, they always alight for that purpose on the roof, before they attempt to enter their neft. This fpecies does not hoot; but fnores and hisses in a violent manner; and while it flies along will often scream moft tremendously. Its only food is mice. As the young of these birds keep their neft for a great length of time, and are fed even long after they can fly, many hundreds of mice will fcarcely fuffice to fupply them Owls caft up the bones, fur, or feathers of their prey, in form of fmall pellets, after they have devoured it, in the fame manner as hawks do. A gentle man, on grubbing up an old pollard afh that had been the habitation of owls for many generations, found at the bottom many bushels of this rejected stuff. Some owls, when they are fatisfied, hide the remainder of their meat like dogs.

with food.

5. The firidula, or tawny owl. The female of this fpecies weighs 19 ounces; the length is 15 inches; the breadth 2 feet 8 inches; the irides are dufky; the ears in this, as in all owls, very large; and their fenfe of hearing very exquifite. The colour of this kind is fufficient to diftinguish it from every other that of the back, head, coverts of the wings, and on the fcapular feathers, being a fine tawny red, elegantly spotted and powdered with the black or dulky fpots of various fizes: on the coverts of the wings and on the scapulars are several large white spots: the coverts of the tail are tawny, and quite free from any marks: the tail

is varioufly blotched, barred and fpotted with pale red and black; in the two middle feathers the red predominates : the breaft and belly are yellowish, mixed with white, and marked with narrow black ftrokes pointing downwards: the legs are covered with feathers down to the toes.-This is a hardier fpecies than the former; and the young will feed on any dead thing, whereas thofe of the white owl must have a conftant fupply of fresh meat. It is the ftrix of Aldrovandus, and what we call the fcreech-owl; to which the folly of fuperftition had given the power of prefaging death by its cries. The ancients believed that it fucked the blood of young children: a fact some think not incredible; for Haffelquift defcribes a fpecics found in Syria, which frequently in the evening flies in at the windows, and. deftroys the helpless infant.

Nocte volant, puerofque petunt nutricis egentes,
Et vitiant cuneis corpora rapta fuis.
Carpere dicuntur latentia vifcera roflris,
Et plenum poto fanguine guttur habent.
Eft illis frigibus nomen, fed nominis hujus

Caufa quod horrenda flridere nocte folent. Ovid Faft. vi. 135

6. The ulula, or brown owl, agrees with the former in its marks; differing only in the colours: in this, the head, wings, and back, are of a deep brown, spotted with black in the fame manner as the former: the coverts of the wings and the fcapulars are adorned with fimilar white (pots: the exterior edges of the four firft quill-feathers in both are ferrated: the breaft in this is of a very pale afh-colour mixed with tawny, and marked with oblong jagged ipots: the feet too are feathered down to the very claws: the circle round the face is afh-coloured, spotted with brown.-oth thefe fpecies inhabit woods, where they refide the whole day: in the night they are very clamorous; and when they hoot, their throats are inflated to the fize of an hen's egg. In the dusk they approach our dwellings; and will frequently enter pigeon-houses, and make great havoc in them. They destroy numbers of little leverets, as appears by the legs frequently found in their nefts. They alfo kill abundance of moles, and skin them with as much dexterity as a cook does a rabbit. They build in hollow trees or ruined edifices; lay four eggs, of an elliptic form, and of a whitish colour.

7. The passerina, or little owl, is very rare in England ;. it is fometimes found in Yorkshire, Flintshire, and alfo near London: in fize it fcarcely exceeds a thrush, though the fulness of its plumage makes it appear larger: the irides are of a light yellow; the bill of a paper-colour; the feathers that encircle the face are white tipt with black; the head brown, spotted with white; on the breaft is a mixture of white and brown; the belly is white, marked with a few brown spots; the tail of the fame colour with the back; in each feather barred with white; in each adorned with circular white spots, placed oppofite to one another on both fides of the thaft; the legs and feet are covered with feathers down to the claws.-The Italians make use of this owl to decoy fmall birds to the limed twig; the method of which is exhibited in Olina's Uccelliera, p. 65. Mr Steuart, author of the Antiquities of Athens, informed Mr Pennant, that this species of owl was very common in Attica; that they were birds of paffage, and appeared there in the beginning of April in great numbers; that they bred there; and that they retired at the fame time as the forks, whose arrival they a little preceded.

Strix.

8. The fpectacle owl of Cayenne, which is accurately de- Lath. Syn, fcribed by Dr Latham, is 21 inches in length: the upper vol. vii. p. parts of the body are of a reddish colour; the lower parts 50.

of

Strontites, val of Hannibal was flain in a fkirmish. E. Long. 17. 26. N. Lat. 39. 20.

Tranfac

tions of the Irish Aca demy, vol.

V.

iii.

STRÖNTITES, or STRONTIAN EARTH, a new fpecies of earth lately discovered at Strontian in Scotland. Who the difcoverer of this earth was we have not learned; but Dr Kirwan fays, the firft information he received of it was from Dr Crawford in the year 1790. In the Miners Journal for February 1791 a good defcription of its external appearance, with fome account of its chemical properties, was published from the observations of Mr Sulzer. Dr Kirwan examined it in October 1793, and found it to be a new earth between the barytic and common limeftone. Dr Hope, who is now joint profeffor of chemistry with Dr Black in the univerfity of Edinburgh, read a paper on the 4th November 1793 before the Royal Society of Edinburgh, intitled "An Account of a Mineral from Strontian, and of a peculiar Species of Earth which it contains ;" an abridgment of which is published in the third volume of the Edinburgh Philofophical Tranfactions. Mr Schmeiffer read a paper on the fame subject before the Royal Society of London in May 1794, which is published in their Tranfactions for that year, p. 418, &c.

Its external characters are thefe: Its colour is whitish or light green; its luftre common; its tranfparency intermediate between the femitransparent and opaque; its fracture ftriated, prefenting oblong diftinét concretions, fomewhat uneven and bent; its hardness moderate, being easily scratched, but not scraped. It is very brittle; and its specific gravity from 3,4 to 3,644.

For a full account of its chemical qualities we must refer to the books already mentioned, as all the accounts of it which we have feen are too long to infert here, and as we do not confider the circumftance of its being a newly disco vered earth a fufficient reason for running into a tedious detail till its utility be ascertained. We fhall, however, men tion some of its most remarkable qualities. It requires 180 times its weight of water at a low temperature to diffolve it. When diffolved in boiling water, and allowed to cool, it depofits transparent cryftals, which when expofed to the air become white and powdery. It is not affected by the fulphuric acid; but when diluted, 10,000 parts of it will diffolve one of ftrontites. Diluted nitric acid diffolves it rapidly. The muriatic acid, whether diluted or oxygenated, diffolves it in a fimilar manner.

Strontites has a ftrong resemblance to barytes, but effentially differs from it. Its fpecific gravity is lefs; it parts with its carbonic acid when urged by heat fomewhat more Tranfacreadily, and without suffering fufion; when calcined, it imtions of the bibes moisture with vastly greater avidity, fwelling and Royal Socie-cracking with more heat and noife. Strontites diffolves ty of Edin- much more abundantly in hot water than barytes; and the burgh, vol. form of the crystals of these pure earths is very diffimilar. The compounds generated by strontites differ from those of barytes. It will fuffice to mention the nitrate and muriate. This earth, united to nitric and muriatic acid, forms falts that suffer changes from expofure to air, which do not hap. pen to the nitrate and muriate of barytes. They are like wife much more foluble in water, and have crystals of a peculiar figure. The combinations of ftrontites with acids are not, like thofe of barytes, decompofed by pruffiate of lime or of potash. Strontites and its compounds tinge flame, which barytes does not. Laftly, these earths disagree in the order of their attractions. From these confiderations it is concluded, that the mineral is not aerated barytes.

It also is distinguished from calcareous fpar of limestone: for it is much heavier, and retains its fixed air with more obftinacy in the fire. The incomparably greater folubility

4

of the pure earth in hot than in cold water, and the crystal. Stray he line form it affumes, fufficiently diftinguish it from lime, which the difpofition of the nitrate and muriate to crystallize no lefs tends to do.

The most remarkable quality of ftrontites is that of tinging flame of a red colour. The muriate has it in the most eminent degree, and its effects are well exhibited by putting a portion of the salt on the wick of a candle, which is thereby made to burn with a very beautiful blood-red flame. The nitrate ftands next, then crystallized strontites, and after it the acetite. A hundred parts of strontites are composed of 61.21 of earth, 30.20 of carbonic acid, and 8.59 of

water.

STROPHE, in ancient poetry, a certain number of verfes, including a perfect sense, and making the first part of an ode. See POETRY, no 130.

STRUMÆ, fcrophulous tumors arifing on the neck and throat, conftituting what is commonly called the king's evil. See MEDICINE, no 349.

n°

STRUMPFIA, in botany; a genus of plants belonging to the clafs of fyngenefia, and to the order of monogamia. The calyx is quinquedentate and fuperior; the corolla is pentapetalous; and the berry monofpermous. There is only one fpecies, the maritima.

STRUTHIO, in natural hiftory; a genus of birds belonging to the order of gralle of Linnæus; but, according to the new claffification of Dr Lathamn, it forms, along with the dodo, caffuarius, and rhea, a feparate order under the name of fruthious. As the dodo or didus, and rhea, have been already described in their proper place, we will now give some account of the oftrich and caffowary.

Struthio,

I. The OSTRICH (the Camelus of Linnæus) has a bill Plate fomewhat conical; the wings are fo fhort as to be unft ccccLXXXVI, for flying; the thighs and fides of the body are naked; the feet are formed for running, having two toes, one only of which is furnished with a nail. In this respect it differs entirely from the caffowary, which has three toes complete. The oftrich is without doubt the largest of all birds: it is nearly eight feet in length, and when ftanding upright from fix to eight feet in height. We are told in the Gentleman's Magazine*, that two oftriches were shown * Vol. 11, in London in the year 1750, and that the male was 10 feet p. 536. in height, and weighed three hundred weight and a quarter. The head and bill somewhat resemble those of a duck; and the neck may be likened to that of a fwan, but that it is much longer; the legs and thighs resemble thofe of an hen; though the whole appearance bears a strong resemblance to that of a camel. But though ufually seven feet high from the top of the head to the ground, from the back it is only four; fo that the head and neck are above three feet long. From the top of the head to the rump, when the neck is ftretched out in a right line, it is fix feet long, and the tail is about a foot more. One of the wings, without the feathers, is a foot and an half; and being stretched out, with the feathers, is three feet.

The plumage is much alike in all; that is, generally black and white; though fome of them are faid to be grey. There are no feathers on the fides, nor yet on the thighs, nor under the wings. The lower part of the neck, about half way, is covered with ftill fmaller feathers than thofe on the belly and back; and those also are of different colours.

Áll these feathers are of the fame kind, and peculiar to the oftrich; for other birds have feveral forts, fome of which are soft and downy, and others hard and ftrong. Ostrich-feathers are almost all as foft as down, being utterly unfit to ferve the animal for flying, and ftill less adapted to be a proper defence against external injury. The feathers

of

Struthio. of other birds have the webs broader on one fide than the other, but those of the oltrich have their fhaft exactly in the middle. The upper part of the head and neck are covered with a very fine clear white hair, that fhines like the briftles of a hog; and in fome places there are small tufts of it, confifting of about 12 hairs, which grow from a fingle fhaft about the thickness of a pin.

At the end of each wing there is a kind of fpur almost like the quill of a porcupine. It is an inch long, being hollow and of an horny fubftance. There are two of thefe on cach wing; the largest of which is at the extremity of the bone of the wing, and the other a foot lower. The neck feems to be more flender in proportion to that of other birds, from its not being furnished with feathers. I he fkin in this part is of a livid flesh-colour, which fome, improperly, would have to be blue. The bill is short and pointed, and two inches and an half at the beginning. The external form of the eye is like that of a man, the upper eye-lid being adorned with eye-lafhes which are longer than those on the lid below. The tongue is fmall, very fhort, and compofed of cartilages, ligaments, and membranes, intermixed with fleshy fibres. In some it is about an inch long, and very thick at the bottom; in others it is but half an inch, being a little forked at the end.

The thighs are very fleshy and large, being covered with a white skin inclining to rednefs, and wrinkled in the manner of a net, whofe methes will admit the end of the finger. Some have very small feathers here and there on the thighs; and others again have neither feathers nor wrinkles. What are called the legs of birds, in this are covered before with large fcales. The end of the foot is cloven, and has two very large toes, which, like the leg, are covered with fcales. These toes are of unequal fizes. The largeft, which is on the infide, is seven inches long, including the claw, which is near three-fourths of an inch in length, and almoft as broad. The other toc is but four inches long, and is with out a claw.

The internal parts of this animal are formed with no lefs furprising peculiarity. At the top of the breast, under the fkin, the fat is two inches thick; and on the fore-part of the belly it is as hard as fuet, and about two inches and an half thick in some places It has two diftin&t ftomachs. The firft, which is lowermoft, in its natural fituation fomewhat refembles the crop in other birds; but it is confiderably larger than the other ftomach, and is furnished with Arong muscular fibres, as well circular as longitudinal. The fecond ftomach or gizzard has outwardly the fhape of the ftomach of a man; and upon opening is always found filled with a variety of difcordant fubitances; hay, grafs, barley, beans, bones, and ftones, fome of which exceed in fize a pullet's egg. The kidneys are eight inches long and two broad, and differ from those of other birds in not being divided into lobes. The heart and lungs are separated by a midriff as in quadrupeds; and the parts of generation alfo bear a very ftrong refemblance and analogy.

The oftrich is a native only of the torrid regions of Africa, and has long been celebrated by thofe who have had occafion to mention the animals of that region. Its flesh is profcribed in Scripture as unfit to be eaten; and most of the ancient writers describe it as well known in their times. Like the race of the elephant, it is tranfmitted down without mixture; and has never been known to breed out of that country which firft produced it. It seems formed to live among the fandy and burning deferts of the torrid zone; and, as in fome measure it owes its birth to their genial influence, so it seldom migrates into tracts more mild or more fertile. 'The Arabians affert that the oftrich never

drinks; and the place of its habitation feems to confirm Struthio. the affertion. In these formidable regions oftriches are seen in large flocks, which to the diftant fpectator appear like a regiment of cavalry, and have often alarmed a whole caraThere is no defert, how barren foever, but what is van. capable of fupplying these animals with provifion; they cat almost every thing; and these barren tracts are thus doubly grateful, as they afford both food and fecurity. The oftrich is of all other animals the moit voracious. It will devour leather, grafs, hair, iron, ftones, or any thing that is given. Thofe fubftances which the coats of the ftomach cannot foften, pass whole; so that glass, stones, or iron, are excluded in the form in which they were devoured. In an oftrich diffected by Ranby, there appeared fuch a quantity of heterogeneous fubftances, that it was wonderful how any animal could digeft fuch an overcharge of nourishment. Valifnieri also found the firft ftomach filled with a quantity of incongruous fubftances; grafs, nuts, cords, ftones, glass, brafs, copper, iron, tin, lead, and wood; a piece of Itone was found among the reft that weighed more than a pound. He faw one of these animals that was killed by devouring a quantity of quicklime. It would feem that the oftrich is obliged to fill up the great capacity of its ftomach in order to be at cafe; but that nutritious fubftances not occurring, it pours in whatever offers to fupply the void.

In their native deferts, however, it is probable they live: chiefly upon vegetables, where they lead an inoffenfive and focial life; the male, as Thevenot affures us, afforting with the female with connubial fidelity. They are iaid to be very much inclined to venery; and the make of the parts in both fexes seems to confirm the report. It is probable also they copulate like other birds, by compreffion. They lay very large eggs, fome of them being above fiye inches in diameter, and weighing above firteen pounds. Thefe eggs have a very hard fhell, fomewhat refembling those of the crocodile, except that those of the latter are lefs and round

er.

The feason for laying depends on the climate where the animal is bred. In the northern parts of Africa, this feafon is about the beginning of July; in the fouth, it is about the latter end of December. Thefe birds are very prolific, and lay generally from 40 to 50 eggs at one clutch, which. are as big as a child's head. It has been commonly reported, that the female deposits them in the fand, and covering. them up, leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the cli mate, and then permits the young to fhift for themselves. Very little or this, however, is true: no bird has a stronger affection for her young than the oftrich, nor none watches her eggs with greater affiduity. It happens, indeed, in those hot climates, that there is lefs neceflity for the continual incubation of the female; and the more frequently leaves her eggs, which are in no danger of being chilled by the weather but though fhe fometimes forfakes them by day, fhe always carefully broods over them by night; and Kolben, who has feen great numbers of them at the Cape of Good Hope, affirms, that they fit on their eggs like other birds, and that the male and the female take this office by turns, as he had frequent opportunities of obferving. Nor is it more true what is faid of their forfaking their young after they are excluded the fhell. On the contrary, the young ones are not even able to walk for several days after they are hatched. During this time the old ones are very affiduous in fupplying them with grafs, and very careful to defend them from danger; nay, they encounter every danger in their defence. The young, when brought forth, are of an ash-colour the first year, and are covered with feathers. all over. But in time thefe feathers drop; and those parts.

:

which