[lO] 



kyndes, to us unknowne by name. In winter there are great 

 store of svvannes, geese, brants, duck, widgeon, dottrell, oxeyes, 

 mallard, teal, sheldrakes, and divers diving fovvles, and of all 

 these sortes that aboundance, as I dare avowe yt, no country in 

 the world may have more. Parakitoes I have seen manie in the 

 winter, and knowne divers killed, yet be they a fowle most swift of 

 wing, their winges and breasts are of a greenish cullour, with 

 forked tayles, their heades, some crymsen, some yellowe, some 

 orange-tawny, very beautifull. Some of our colonic who have 

 seene of the East Indian parratts, affirm how they are like to 

 that kynde, which hath given us somewhat the moi'e hope of the 

 nerenes of the South Sea, these parratts, by all probability, like 

 enough to come from some of the countryes upon that sea. A 

 kind of wood-pidgeon we see in the winter time and of them 

 such nombers, as I should drawe (from our homelings here, such 

 who have seene, peradventure. scarce one more then in the 

 markett) the creditt of my relation concerning all the other in 

 question, yf I should expresse what extended flocks, and how 

 manie thousands in one flock, I have seen in one dale, wonder- 

 ing (I must confesse) at their flight, when like so many thickned 

 clowdes, they (having fed to the norward in the daye time) re- 

 tourne againe more sowardly towards night to their roust ; but 

 there be manie hundred witnesses, who male convitice this my 

 report yf herein yt testifieth an untruth." 



Similar but shorter lists are given by Capt. John Smith* and 

 Raphe Hamorf the former emphasizing the comparative scarcity 

 of birds in summer and the latter mentioning a few kinds not re- 

 ferred to by the others, while he is also the first to speak of 

 " Turckie Bussards." At a later period, the following list is 

 also given by an early writer :J " Birds are these, viz., above 25 



*A Map of Virginia With a Description of the Countrey, the Commodities 

 People, Oovernment and Religion. Written by Captaine Smith, sometime, 

 Governour of the Countrey, Oxford, 1612. Also reprinted in " The Generall 

 Historic of Virginia, New England and the Summer Isles." 'rhe Second Book, 

 1624. 



t A True Discourse of the present estate of Virginia, till 18 June, 1614 by 

 Raphe Hamor the yonger, London 1615. 



t A Perfect Description of Virginia: being, a full & true Relation of the present 

 State of the Plantation, their Health. Peace & Plenty: the number of people 

 with their abundance of Cattell, Fowl, Fish &c. London, printed for Richard 

 Wodenoth, at the Star under Peters Church in Comhill, 1649, (Force's Histor- 

 ical Tracts Vol. 2, No. VIII.) 



