"Between ninety and a hundred of our birds have been described by Catesby.. His drawings are better as to form and attitude, than colouring, which is generally too high. They are the following: Blue jay Baltimore Bird Bastard Baltimore Purple jackdaw. Crow black-Chattering plover. Kildee bird Carolina cuckow White bill woodpecker Brown bittern. Indian hen Wood pelican White curlew Brown curlew Oyster catcher tridge Large red crested wood-American partridge. Ameri pecker Gold winged woodpecker.-Pheasant. Yucker Red bellied woodpecker Ground dove Smallest spotted woodpecker Pigeon of passage. Wild pi Hairy woodpecker. Speck- geon led woodpecker Turtle. Turtle dove Yellow bellied do. Lark. Sky lark Field lark. Large lark Red wing. Starling. Marsh blackbird 418. Blue gross beak Snow bird Rice bird Painted finch Blue linnet Little sparrow Cowpen bird Towhe bird HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. House swallow Smaller turkey buzzard, with Great owl Wet hawk, which feeds flying American goldfinch. Lettuce Water pelican of the Missis bird sippi, whose pouch holds a Purple finch peck Crested flycatcher Swan APPENDIX A....No. L. Answer of the Dutch Governor to the English commander's summons to surrender New-York to the British in the harbour, in September, 1664. "MY LORDS, "YOUR first letter, unsigned of the 20th-31st August, together with that of this day, signed according to form, being the first of September, have been safely delivered into our hands by your deputies, unto which we shall say, that the rights of his majesty of England, unto any part of America hereabout, among the rest, unto the colonies of Virginia, Maryland, or others in New England, whether disputable or not, is that, which for the present, we have no design to debate upon. But that his majesty hath an indisputable right, to all the lands in ths north parts of America, is that, which the kings of France and Spain will disallow, as we absolutely do, by virtue of a commission given me, by my lords, the High and Mighty States General, to be governor general, over New-Holland, the isles of Curacoa, Bonaire, Aruba, with their appurtenancies and dependancies, bearing date the 26th of July, 1646. As also by virtue of a grant and commission, given by my said lords, the High and Mighty States General, to the West India Company, in the year 1621, with as much power and as authentic, as his said majesty of England hath given, or can give, to any colony in America, as more fully appears by the patent and commission of the said lords the States General, by them signed, registered, and sealed with their great seal, which were shewed to your deputies, Col. George Carteret, Capt. Robert Needham, Capt. Edward Groves, and Mr. Thomas Delevall; by which commission and patent, together (to deal frankly with you) and by divers letters, signed and sealed by our said lords, the States General, directed to several persons, both English and Dutch, inhabiting the towns and villages on Long-Island, (which without doubt, have been produced before you, by those inhabitants) by which they are declared and acknowledged to be their subjects, with express command, that they continue faithful unto them, under the penalty of incurring their utmost displeasure, which makes it appear more clear than the sun at noon-day, that your first foundation, viz. (that the right and title of his majesty of Great-Britain, to these parts of America is unquestionable) is absolutely to be denied. Moreover, it is without dispute, and acknowledged by the world, that our predecessors, by virtue of the commission and patent of the said lords, the States General, have without controul and peaceably (the contrary never coming to our knowledge) enjoyed Fort Orange, about forty-eight or fifty years, the Manhattans, about fortyone or forty-two years, the South River, forty years, and the Fresh Water River about thirty-six years. Touching the second subject of your letter, viz. His Majesty hath commanded me, in his name, to require a surrender of all such forts, towns, or places of strength, which now are possessed by the Dutch, under your command. We shall answer, that we are so confident of the discretion and equity of his Majesty of Great-Britain, that in case his Majesty were informed of the truth, which is, that the Dutch came not into these provinces by any violence, but by virtue of commissions from my lords, the States General; first of all in the years 1614, 1615, and 1616, up the North River, near Fort Orange, where, to hinder the invasions and massacres commonly committed by the savages, they built a little fort, and after, in the year 1622, and even to this present time, by virtue of a commission and grant, to the governors of the West-India company; and moreover, in the year 1656, a grant to the honourable the burgomasters of Amsterdam, of the South River; insomuch, that by virtue of the abovesaid commissions from the High and Mighty States General, given to the persons interested as aforesaid, and others, these provinces have been governed, and consequently enjoyed, as also in regard of their first discovery, uninterrupted possessions, and purchase of the lands of the princes, natives of the country, and other private persons (though gentiles) we make no doubt, that if his said Majesty of Great-Britain were well informed of these passages, be would be too judicious to grant such an order, principally in a time when there is so straight a friendship and cenfederacy, between our said lords and superiors, to trouble us in the demanding and summons of the places and fortresses, which were put into our hands, with order to maintain them, in the name of the said lords, the States General, as was made appear to your deputies, under the names and seal of the said High and Mighty States General, dated the 28th of July, 1646. Besides what had been mentioned, there is little probability, that his said Majesty of England (in regard the articles of peace are printed, and were recommended to us to observe seriously and exactly, by a letter written to us by our said lords, the States General, and to cause them to be observed religiously in this country) would give order touching so dangerous a design, being also apparent, that none other than my said lords, the States General, have any right to these provinces, and consequently ought to command and maintain their subjects, and in their absence, we the governor-general are obliged to maintain their rights, and to repel and take revenge of all threatnings, unjust attempts, or any force whatsoever, that shall be committed against their faithful subjects and inhabitants, it being a very considerable thing to affront so mighty a state, although it were not against an ally and confederate. Consequently, if his said majesty (as it is fit) were well informed of all that could be spoken upon this subject, he would not approve of what expressions were mentioned in your letter; which are, that you are commanded by his majesty, to demand in his name, such places and fortresses as are in possesion of the Dutch under my government; which, as it appears by my commission before-mentioned, was given me by my lords, the High and Mighty States General. And there is less ground in the express demand of my government, since all the world knows, that about three years ago, some English frigates being on the coast of Africa, upon a pretended commission, they did demand certain places under the government of our said lords, the States General, as Cape Vert, River Gambo, and all other |