STOKAFIXA 185 STOKAFIXA Perhaps the latter explanation is the best yet given of the mysterious island Scorafixa, or Stokafixa, in Andrea Bianco's map of 1436." It has sometimes been understood as Newfound- land, which bore long afterward the name Bacalaos, the equiva- lent in a different tongue of the northern "stockfish," our codfish. But it would naturally be freely applied to any island in rather high latitudes which was conspicuous for that fishery, and Stoka- fixa seems near of kin to Fixlanda, which figures on divers maps as a combined suggestion of Iceland and the imaginary Frisland but with geographical features mainly borrowed from the former. The first-named identification may be tempting as establishing another pre-Columbian discovery of America, but it quite lacks corroboration; and Iceland was a great center of codfishery, dis- tributing its name and attributes rather liberally in legend and on the maps. Humboldt incidentally mentions Ttle des Morues (ile de Stockfisch, Stokafixa)" on the seventh map of the atlas of Bianco, 1436. I do not clearly make out the name on T. Fischer's facsimile reproduction; 38 but from position and appearance the island seems meant for Iceland. OTHER MAP ISLANDS IN THE NORTHWESTERN ATLANTIC The Grand Banks and other banks of Newfoundland, with the Virgin Rocks and perhaps other piles or pinnacles rising from that bed nearly to the surface so as to be uncovered in some tides; Sable Island, a rather long way offshore; Cape Breton Island and fragments of the main shore may be held responsible for some map islands such as Arredonda and Dobreton, Jacquet I., Monte Christo, I. de Juan, and Juan de Sampo. 27 Alexander von Humboldt: Examen critique de 1'histoire de la geographic du nouveau continent et des progres de 1'astronomie nautique aux quinzie'me et sei- zieme siecles, 5 vols., Paris, 1836-39; reference in Vol. 2, p. 107. ^Theobald Fischer: Sammlung mittelalterlicher Welt- und Seekarten italieni- schen Utsprungs, i vol. of text and 17 portfolios containing photographs of maps, Venice, 1877-86; reference in Portfolio 9 (Facsimile dell' Atlanta di Andrea Bianco dell' anno 1436), PI. 7.
