Fauna of the Islands of Fernando de Noronha. 869 
Sao Joao, was the original name of the island, and after this 
patent it appears to have been known by the name of its owner, 
Fernam, or Fernando, de Noronha. 
From this document, and others relating to the fleet in which 
Fernando de Noronha sailed, it is believed that the island was 
discovered on the 24th of June (St. John’s Day), 1503, and that it 
was called the island of “Sam Joham,” or St. John, in accordance 
with the usage of the times, which was to name places after the 
saints upon whose days the discoveries were made. 
Americus Vespucius claims to have visited this island on his 
fourth voyage, six weeks after its discovery by Fernando de 
Noronha. I am aware that historians question whether this voyage 
was ever really made by Americus Vespucius, but judging from 
the description given by him it must be confessed that if that 
navigator did not himself see this island, he obtained his informa- 
tion concerning it from some one who did visit it, and for our 
purposes this serves the same end. If his informant was a member 
of Fernando de Norouha’s party, it is only the more valuable in 
the present connection. . The description given by Americus 
Vespucius is brief, but it is the earliest one published, and there- 
fore the most important for the present discussion. According to 
this account he touched here August 10th, 1503, and he writes :— 
ger ear es Which island we found inhabited, and it contained 
plenty of trees, and so many birds, both marine and land, that 
they were without number, and they were so tame that they 
allowed themselves to be caught with the hand; and we caught so 
many that we loaded a boat with them; and we saw no other 
animals except very big rats and lizards with two tails, and some 
snakes,” 
As the introduction of birds, whether marine or land, upon an 
island 230 miles from a large continent, cannot be regarded as 
difficult or impossible, the presence of birds upon Fernando may 
be passed by as of no particular importance. The interest in this 
_ ease centres upon the “big rats and lizards with two tails and 
some snakes” mentioned by Americus Vespucius. As the island 
was discovered but six weeks prior to the reported visit of this 
k Stanislau Canovai’s Viaggi d’Amerigo Vespucci, Ed. 1817, p. 110, 
€t seq. 
