'noddy-bird' puzzle, 1699, William Dampier--
After some enjoyable time spent puzzling through my books, I thought
I might put the quote below to you birders. This passage is excerpted
from Tim Flannery's 'The Explorers', pp.32-33. In 1699 Dampier made
these observations while still three days' sail away from Roebuck Bay
(n-w WA).
To what bird is he referring? I've tried various guesses, but
none entirely satisfactory.
'August--The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom. We saw
no land this day but saw a great many snakes and some whales. We saw
also some boobies and noddy-birds; and in the night caught one of
these last. It was of another shape and colour than any I had seen
before. It had a small long bill, as all of them have; flat feet like
ducks' feet; its tail forked like a swallow but longer and broader,
and the fork deeper than that of the swallow, with very long wings.
'The top or crown of the head of this noddy was coal-black,
having also small black streaks round about and close to the eyes;
and round these streaks, on each side, a pretty broad white circle.
The breast, belly and underpart of the wings of this noddy were
white; and the back and upper part of its wings of a faint black or
smoke colour...
'The 30th day, being in latitude 18* 21", we [saw] the land
again... and having fair weather and moderate breezes I steered in
towards it. At four in the afternoon I anchored in eight fathom
water, clear sand, about three leagues and a half from the shore...
This evening we saw an eclipse of the moon...'
Cheers,
Judith.
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