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The    ARCTICK           BIRD, fuppofed to he the Cock.
H I S Bird in Bignefs feems to exceed a common Tame Pigeon. Some of its
principal Meafures are as follow: The Bill from the Point to the Angles of
the
Mouth is one Inch and an half; to the Feathers on the Forehead only an Inch;
the
Wing (when clofed) is twelve Inches long; the middle Feathers of the Tail
are thirteen
Inches long; the Leg fiom the Knee downward is near two Inches; the middle
Toe
-an Inch and a Q(arter. This Bird differs from the Gull [Larus] in having
a different-
made Bill, and weaker Legs, and fhorter Toes in Proportion to the Legs; for
the
middle Toe in the Gull generally exceeds the Length of the Leg.This being
found in
the Northern Parts of America, near the Arick Circle, I have for Diffintion
impofed
on it the above Name,in Oppofition to that Sort of Gull with a long Tail,
found about
or between the Tropicks, commonly call'd the  iropick Bird; which is near
the Size
of our ArLdick Bird.
The Bill is compreffed Sideways, hooked at the Point, and hath two Grooves
on
each Side of the upper Mandible, in the Loweft of which are placed the Noftrils,
which are very clofe; the Point or Hook of the Bill is Separated fiom the
other Part
by a crofs Furrow,; it hath an Angle under the lower Mandible; the Point
of the
Bill is Blackifh, the Remainder of a dirty Flefh-Colour; the Top of the Head
is of
a dufky or black Colour; the Sides of the Head beneath the Eyes, the Throat,
Neck
all round, the Breaft and Belly are White; the Thighs, lower Belly, and Coverts
under the Tail are of a light Afh-Colotir; the lower Part of the Neck behind,
the
whole Back, the Wings (both above and within Side) and the Tail are of a
darkifh
Afh-Colour; the greater Quills and the Tail-Feathers being darkifhi, approaching
to
Black. The Shafts of a few of the outermoft of the Prime Q(ills are White;
the
Wings are very long and narrow when fpread; the Tail-Feathers are fhorteft
on the
Sides, andgradually increafe in Length, to the two middcmfof, which fuddenly
(hoot out beyond the reft to a great Excefs; the Legs are bare of Feathers
above the
Knees, where they are of a black Colour; from the Knees to the Feet they
are of a
bright-yellow Colour; the Feet are Black, and the three Toes forward webbed
as in
Ducks; the hinder Toe is very finall ; the h1inder-parts of the Legs and
Bottoms of
the Feet are rough, like a File or Fith-fkin, in a very remarkable Manner;
it hath but
fmall Claws.
This Bird was brought from IfuaJqcn's-Bay by Mr. IKham, with one like it,
which4
I fuppofe to be its Hen ; tho' it had not the long Feathers in the Tail.
They are un1-
doubtedly Non-defcripts, and of a Genus, I think, of which I halve not met
with
another Species. They are foinething like the Peteril Kind in the Bill, but
want the
Pipe-like Nofirils on its upper Part. They have alfo a Back-Toe, whereas
the Peterils
have only a Nail or Claw: See the Peterils, P. 89, go of this Work. The Englijh
at HzfmOn's-Bay call the above defcrib'd a Plan oj l~ar Bird.  By the Weaknefs
of
the Legs and Length of the Wings I fuppofe it to be much on the Wing; and
I
believe it is provided with rough Feet and Legs, in order to its fi n flanding
on the
fllmy Sides of dead floating Filics, on which. it is likely they feed.