234 STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE, ETC. 

 natural history. He was a learned botanist, 

 and he published a " Libellus de re herbaria " in 

 1538. He also contributed a letter on British' 

 fishes to his friend Conrad Gesner, with whom 

 he had worked at Zurich and with whom he 

 constantly corresponded. As an example of the 

 zoology available in Shakespeare's time, we may 

 quote Turner's description of the grouse : 



" Of the Lagopus" from Pliny. 



11 The Lagopus is in flavour excellent, its feet 

 shaggy as in a hare have given it this name. 

 Otherwise it is white, in size as the Columbi ; 

 it is not eaten except in the land of which it is a 

 native, since it is not tameable while living, and 

 when killed its flesh soon putrefies. There is 

 another bird of the same name, differing but in 

 size from the Coturnices, most excellent for food 

 with yellow saffron sauce. Of this Martial makes 

 mention in the following verse : 



" If my Flaccus delights in the eared Lagopodes." 



Although this may seem to indicate that Turner 

 was a mere translator and compiler, this is not 

 the case. As Mr. Evans says : 



" while attempting to determine the principal 



