[Three Hundred Animals Contents]
HAS been called so, we may fairly suppose, on account of his being generally seen on the wing, and flying in the tropic zone at a small distance from the land. Its appearance being most welcome to the tired sailor and longing passenger, generally causes much happiness by its foretelling the vicinity of Terra firma. The head is small, but adorned with colours which can vie with the brightest nuances of the peacock’s embellishments; the neck is of a fawn tint, and the body very small, but covered with long feathers of a browner hue, tinged with gold; two feathers issue from the rump, and constitute the tail. This bird’s feathers have not only been the favourite ornament of the South American ladies, for a long time, but have had also the honour of decorating the heads of our fair country women.
