PREFACE. 
xi 
Cornelius le Bruyn’f Travels into Mufcovy, Perlia, &c. there he willfind deficribed the 
Spoon-bill, call'd in the Ruffian Language Calpetfe, VoL i. P. 91. of the Engliffi 
Tranfilation. The Bald Coot, call''d in the Perlian, Paes-jelek, Vol. 1. P. 182. The 
Pelican, call'd by M<? Ruffians, Babbe or Water-Carrier, VoL 2. P. 167. Now thefie 
Birds being all very well deficribed by natural Hifiorians , they need no farther Defier ip- 
tions; but he did not mean to give us things before deficribed , but , through Ignorance 
in .that particular Part of natural Hiftory, fiuppofied thefie Birds altogether unknown, 
fiince he has not given them their common European Names; it is fiurprifing he fhould 
not know the Spoon-bill, becaufie thofie who have deficribed it make it a Native of Hol¬ 
land, and tell the Place where it builds and breeds. It is fill more fit range he fhould 
go to Ifpahan to figure and deficribe the Bald Coot, which abounds in every Canal and 
Dike round about the Hague the Place of his Birth : It Jhews a fond Inclination to 
dfcover the Rarities of foreign Countries, before a P erf on has attained the Knowledge of 
what is to be known in his native Country: Which is to begin where one fhould end; fib 
that all People who go abroad on any Dificoveries fhould be qualified as above-mentioned 
but more particulary all fhould inform themfielvesy as far as may be, at home, in thofie 
things they exprefly go to make farther Dificoveries of. For want of finch Qualifications , 
and through difihonefl Principles, Vice and Indolence, many who have been fient abroad at 
the Expence of others, have in no fort anfiwered the Expectations of thofie who fient them, 
which hath dificouraged Gentlemen of Curiofity and Fortune from advancing Money on 
fiuch fruitlefis Expeditions. 
Neverthelefis fiome Men thus fient , have with great labour and honefiy anfiwerd the Ex¬ 
pectations of their Patrons. It would be very proper for all Travellers into foreign Parts, 
to take notice of what Birds and Beafts they find, and at what Seafions of the Tear they find 
them, and at what Times they difappear, and when they appear again; that fio we may in 
time give a tolerable account of the Places to which Birds and Beafts of Pajfage go that art 
found with us ., and in other Countries only at certain Seafions of the Tear. Many may think 
perhaps that there are no Beafts of Pajfage, but I have been informed by a Perfion of Repu¬ 
tation, who now refides in one of the Engliffi Forts in Hudfon’s-Bay, that the Deer in that 
Country pafis northward in the beginning of Summer, and return to the South at the approach 
