Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/43

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 resſemble, 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

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