pleasing, loud, plaintive noise. The ring-neck dove builds in coverts in the woods, as does also the partridge, which is likewise a species of the dove kind, but from its great resemblance, it is called the pieddrié by the French. The flesh of the three kinds is much liked, but has a bitter taste, as has that of most other birds of the country, owing to the berries they feed on; this taste, though at first disagreeable, is soon relished by most people, and they are reckoned very wholesome. The ground dove is not much bigger than a lark when stripped of its feathers, which are of a brown colour. It has a red bill and legs, makes a pleasing plaintive noise, and when killed in season its flesh is very fat, and of a delicious flavour; for which reason it is generally called the West-India ortolon.

The mackaw is of the parrot kind, but larger than the common parrot, and makes a more disagreeable, harsh noise. They are in great plenty, as are also parrots in this island; have both of them a delightful green and yellow plumage, with a scarlet-coloured fleshy substance from the ears to the root of the bill, of which colour is likewise the chief feathers of their wings and tails. They breed on the tops of the highest trees, where they feed on the berries in great numbers together; and are easily discovered by their loud chattering noise, which at a distance resembles human voices. The mackaws cannot be taught to articulate words; but the parrots of this country may, by taking pains with them when caught young. The flesh of both is eat, but being very fat, it wastes in roasting, and eats dry and insipid; for which reason, they are chiefly used to make soup of, which is accounted very nutritive.

The hawks are of two kinds, the one of the largest size of those species, the other that of the small sort in England. They are both very ferocious, commit great depredations among the other birds in the woods, and on the plantations often destroy fowls and house pigeons.

The diablotin, so called by the French, from its uncommonly ugly appearance, is nearly the size of a duck, and is web-footed. It has a big round head, crooked bill like a hawk, and large full eyes like an owl. Its head, part of the neck, chief feathers of the wings and tail, are black; the other parts of its body are covered with a milk-white fine down; and its whole appearance is perfectly singular. They feed on fish, flying in great flocks to the sea side in the night-time; and in their flight make a disagreeable loud noise like owls: which bird they also resemble, by their dislike of making their appearance in the day-time, when they are hid in holes in the mountains, where they are easily caught. This is done by stopping up some of the holes, which lead to their hiding places, and placing empty bags over the rest, which communicate under-ground with those stopped: the birds at their usual time of going forth to seek their food in the night-time, finding their passage impeded, make to the holes covered with the bags; into which entering, they are immediately caught; and great numbers of them taken in that manner in a short time. The flesh of the diablotin is much admired by the French, who used formerly to export great quantities of them salted, to Martinique and other French islands; but the traffic was put a stop to by the Legislature of Dominica, who, by an Act made for apprehending runaway negroes, prohibited the taking of those birds: as before that time, the runaways being numerous in the woods, furnished great quantities of them, for which they had in return, from some ill-disposed white people, muskets, powder, and balls; which they made use of in murdering the English inhabitants on the plantations.

The mountain whistler is of the size of an English lark, and is remarkable only for its loud charming whistle, which resembles the human voice in the melodious notes; but which this bird varies in a most astonishing manner.

The thrush is nearly the size of that in England, and has much the same kind of whistle. The wren is also of the size and figure of those in England, and sings delightfully, especially early in the morning, and in the evening when other birds are at roost: for which reason it is by some, called the nightingale. What is remarkable of the singing birds of this country is, that they lose their singing faculties when taken, pine away and die, notwithstanding the greatest attention is paid to them.

There are also great numbers of owls in the woods of this island, and they make a most hideous, disagreeable noise in the night-time. Swallows and bats are here likewise in great plenty; the latter breeding in hollow trees and in old houses; but it has not yet been discovered where the swallows breed, or retire to; yet they are frequently seen flying in great flocks during the wet season, and their appearance is reckoned a sure token of approaching rainy weather.

Dominica is visited in the hurricane months by wild ducks, curlews, plovers, and snipes; but not in such numbers at a time, as they are usually seen in some West India islands, owing to there being very few spots of stagnated water in this island, and to the great quantity of land in it still covered with woods.

Shortly after the reduction of this island by the French last war, the Marquis Duchilleau, then Governor, prohibited the killing of game during the breeding season. This prohibition has since been made into a law, by the English Legislature of Dominica, as a circumstance highly necessary; not only to prevent the runaway negroes from trafficking with that commodity for arms and ammunition, but also to preserve the game, which would probably have become extinct, if an unlimitted power of destroying them had not been restrained.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE RIVERS AND LAKES IN THE ISLAND, RIVER AND FRESH WATER FISH, ALSO OF SEA FISH, LAND CRABS, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVE QUADRUPED, AND OTHER ANIMALS.

Dominica is well watered, there being upwards of thirty fine rivers in the island, besides great numbers of rivulets of excellent fresh water, but none of the rivers are navigable; yet, in the rainy season, they are sometimes very deep and rapid, coming down often in a frightful manner, carrying away considerable tracks of land, large trees, huge stones, and sometimes houses, into the sea.

The rivers and rivulets are plentifully stocked with excellent fish; the principal of which are, mullets, crocroes, pike, eels, suck-fish, and cray-fish, with which the tables of the inhabitants, especially those on the plantations, are well furnished; and much amusement is afforded to good anglers.

The mullet is of the shape of the sea-fish of the same name, and is often caught in the rivers of half a pound or more in weight; they are very fat and full of roe when in season, and are a great dainty.

The crocroe is an excellent fresh water fish, much of the shape of a trout, excepting the head, which in the crocroe is more round. Of these are caught, at times, some that will weigh from five to six, and usually from one to two pounds. The mullet and crocroe are generally caught with the hook and line, but sometimes they and other river fish are taken in the night-time by negroes, who, with a lighted torch made of a wood called “Bois chandélle,” which burns a long time, and which being held over the water, the fish, attracted by the light, swim towards it on the surface, when they are chopped