Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0370
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[Page 370]
266
Some account of New Holland
White & black Cocatoes Pidgeons beautifull Doves Bustards & many others which did not at all resemble those of Europe most of these were extremely shy so that it was with dificulty that we shot any of them a Crow in England tho in general sufficiently wary is I must say a fool to a New Holland crow & the same may be said of almost if not all the Birds in the countrey the only ones we ever got in any plenty was Pidgeons of which we met Large flocks of which the men who were sent out on purpose would sometimes kill 10 or 12 a day they were a Beautifull Bird crested differently from any other Pidgeon I have seen what can be the reason of this extrordinary shyness in the Birds is dificult to say unless perhaps the Indians are very clever in deceiving them which we have very little reason to suppose as we never saw any instrument with them but their Lances with which a Bird could be killd or taken & these must be very improper tools for the Purpose yet one of our people saw