C l 5° ] 



Liebaut was a Dodlor of Phyfic, and no wx>rk hath gone 

 through more editions, or been tranflated into more languages ; 

 the authority therefore, as to this doubt, is more confiderable, 

 than if taken from moft modern publications upon the fubjecl: 

 of rural oeconomy. It is to be remarked alio, that he makes no 

 mention of the Guiney hen, which proves that bird to have been 

 as fcarce in France at that time, as I have fuppofed it to be in 

 England. 



I mail take this fame opportunity of ftating from Camoens 

 what affords fome degree of confirmation with regard to turkies 

 being found on the Southern coaft of Africa, it the beginning 

 of the fixteenth century, by his mentioning that the women of 

 the Cape brought to the Portuguefe both bens and fheep y. 



Camoens was born in 151 7; and as he went himfelf a voyage 

 ;to the Eaft Indies, and made Vafco da Gama's expedition the 

 fubjecl: of an Epic Poem, it is highly probable that he had re- 

 ceived the account of this interview from fome of thofe who 

 had failed on that famous ehterprize. 



• But it may be alked, why thefe galinhas (or hens) mentioned 

 by the Poet, are conceived to be turkies ? to which I anfwer, 

 that all the Naturalifts have agreed that the common cock came 

 originally from Alia; and there having been no intercourfe be- 

 tween that vaft continent and the Southern promontory of Africa 

 before the time of Vafco da Gama, it affords a prefumption that 

 the birds alluded to are turkies, and not hens z . 



7 Eftes, como na vifta prazenteyros 

 Eoffern, humanamente nos trataraon, 

 Trazendonos, galinhas, & carneyros. 



Lufiadas, Canto V. St. 64. 



* They could not likewife be peintades, became none .of the early 

 travellers mention thofe birds being wild in the neighbourhood of the 

 ,Cape.of Good Hope. 



I have 



