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 under part of the wings of this noddy were white, and the back and upper part of its wings of a faint black or smoke colour.

Noddies are seen in most places between the tropics, as well in the East Indies and on the coast of Brazil, as in the West Indies.

They rest ashore at night, and therefore we never see them far at sea, not above twenty or thirty leagues, unless driven off in a storm.