when the fields grow green again and the plants bloom, they come back to life, or rather, wake up. From there, they fly out to flowery places to undergo the same cycle many times. This should not be seen as a mere trifle, for it has been confirmed by the testimony of many most trustworthy men. They have carried this little bird into a room, attached to a stick, where it lay as if dead throughout the winter months; then, at the time appointed by nature, they observed it reviving and, when released, flying off to the fields. Furthermore, they report that the powder of this bird, when burnt, is of great help to epileptics—a fact known through the "doctrine of signatures," experiment, or both. For this reason, it might not unfairly be called the "epileptic bird." However, Gomara, in his *History of the Conquest of Mexico*, seems to call this little bird the *Vicicilin*.

ON AQUATIC BIRDS,

#### and first, the Hooded Swan.

By "aquatic birds," we should understand not only those that seek their food while swimming in the waves, but also those that find their sustenance around rivers, seas, and stagnant waters. Nature, with her wonderful cunning, has equipped certain birds of the province of Vera Paz that find their food by casting dung into the rivers; fish rise to the surface to snatch this bait, and are themselves caught.

A certain bird, equal in size to a swan, was found on the island which the Dutch named Mauritius after Prince Maurice. Previously, however, the Portuguese called it "Swan Island," perhaps because of the bird we are about to discuss, as they believed it to be a true swan—though Clusius calls this creature the "foreign rooster."

And so, this bird indeed equals or exceeds the swan in size. Its form, however, is far different. Its head is large and upright, covered with a sort of membrane resembling a hood. The beak is not flat, but thick and long, of a yellowish color near the body, while the very tip is black. The upper part of the beak is hooked and curved, while the lower part is bluish, with a spot between the yellow and black sections. The bird is covered with thin, short feathers and lacks wings; in their place, only four or five very long, black feathers appear. The rear part of the body is very fat and thick, where, instead of a tail, one sees curled and coiled ash-colored feathers. Its legs are thick rather than long, the upper part of which is covered with black feathers down to the knees, while the lower part, including the feet, is yellowish. The feet are divided into four toes, three longer ones pointing forward and a fourth, shorter one pointing backward, all equipped with black claws. Sailors call this bird *Walghvogel* in their own language, meaning "the bird that causes nausea," because its meat does not become tender even after long boiling, but remains tough and hard to digest.

In the stomach of this bird, two small stones were found; they were not formed there, but rather swallowed by the bird along the seashore, as these birds frequent the coasts to find their food.