stock of Portuguese literature is but small, and not all of it
accessible {486} to me at present. In the meantime it may be acceptable
to Mr. Strickland to know, that there is a detailed account of
Portuguese discoveries in a book whose title would hardly indicate it,
in which one passage will probably interest him. I allude to the rare
and interesting folio volume printed at Lisbon in 1571. _De Rebus
Emanuelis Regis Lusitanie, invictissimi Virtute et Auspicio Gestis,
auctore Hieronymo Osorio Episcopo Silvensis_. These annals embrace the
period from 1495 to 1529. In narrating the principal events of Vasco de
Gama's first voyage, after he had rounded the Cape of Good Hope on the
25th November, 1497, steering to the east along the southern coast of
Africa, the vessels anchor in the bay of St. Blaize, where--

"In intimo sinu est parva quædam Insula, ad quam nostri aquandi
gratia naves-appulerunt. Ibi phocarum armenta conspexere
admiranda quædam multitudine. In quibus inerat tanta feritas et
truculentia, ut in homines irruerent. AVES etiam eo in loco visæ
sunt, quas incolas apellant SOLTICARIOS, pares anscribus
magnitudine: plumis minime vestiuntur, alas habent similes alis
verspertionum: volare nequeunt, sed explicatis alarum membranis,
cursum celeritate summa conficiunt."

The islet was probably that of _La Cruz_; but what were the birds? and
what was the indigenous name which is represented by _Solticarios_? It
is possible that some of your correspondents may be familiar with the
original narration which Osorio follows, or Mr. Strickland may be able
to solve the question.

I may just remark, that my observation respecting the improbability of
Tradescant's stuffed specimen having been a fabrication could hardly be