( 4 8 * ) 
The Merops or Apiafter is common on their Brooks ; 
it flies like our Kings-Filher, and preys not only upon In- 
feds but Fifli. There is a very beautiful Bird in Italy, 
that fufpends its Neft down from the Boughs of Trees. 
When I favv it fly by me, I took it for an Indian, from 
the brightnefs of its Colours ; it is as large as our Miflel- 
Bird and Thrufh an Uterus Plinii ? 
The great Cock of the Wood (faid to be found in Ireland ) 
is common on the Tides of the Italian Hills, and brought 
frequently to the Markets. I faw twice or thrice the 
Himantopus , and the Ph&nicopterus or Flamingo , (whole 
Tongue was a Dainty amongfl the Romans, when they 
grew Luxurious). I obferv d Come Spoon-bills : thefe three 
laft Birds were wading in the Rivers and Marfhes, near 
the Sea. Once 1 fpy’d fome Pelecans on the Adriatic , 
near the mouth of the Po . The Avis Diomedaa was 
hung up dry’d in one of the Mufeums at Florence, but 
they told me it had been taken on fome of the lfles of 
the Archipelago. 
On the Laguna of Venice , f faw feveral Species of 
Mergi , Lari , Colymbi, and other Water Fowls, mod: of 
which Div’d. I was furpriz’d with the Variety of them, 
i having not feen fo many on other Coafts : perhaps the 
hard Winter had forc’d fome unufual Birds thither. 
The Monks and Fryers told me, they eat fome of thofe 
Sea Birds in Lent and on Fad Days, becaufe they liv’d 
upon Fifh, and had a pifcofe Tafle, as the French pre- 
tend their Macreufe to have, which is a fort of Sea Duck, 
i common on the Coafl; of Normandy, and brought to 
t the Markets, even at Paris on Maigre Days; of which 
I gave a long Hiftory in the Philof. Tranfaff, An , 
1685. N°. 172.. ^ 
Buffalos are common in the Kingdom of Naples, and 
in fome parts of Lombardy, where they plough and draw 
with 
