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natives of places very diftant and unknown, by 

 which, not only the ignorant, but fometimes the 

 more knowing, are deceived 5 and, to ftrike us 

 with furprife, they pretend that to be a fierce, 

 fevag^ ^nd untameabJe creature, which in its 

 real nature is very gentle and harmlefs. From 

 fuch impofitiôns proceeds the vulgar opinion, 

 that the porcupine is a fierce beaft, and that ic 

 can kill by ftiooting its quills, though indeed 

 he is a beaft of the more gentle and harmlefs 

 kind. I believe there are few obferving people, 

 that are any way curious, but muft have de» 

 te6led fome of their cheats. Many African 

 birds have got the name of Americans amongft. 

 us, becaufe they generally come to us from the 

 Weft Indies j they being firft brought thither 

 from Africa in ftiips, which trade in Negroc 

 (laves, and prefented by captains to governors 

 and planters in America, from whom they are 

 often fent into England as prefents to the nobility 

 and our London merchants, without mentioning 

 their being natives of Africa, by which miftake 

 many birds are aflerted to be natives of coun* 

 tries where they were not bred. Therefore^ 

 fince it is not always poffible to gain fuch full 



and 



