PUENTE, Juan Eligio (poo-ain'-tay), Spanish author, born in Asturias about 1720; died in Mexico about 1780. Very little is known of his life, except that he was employed as chief clerk in the office of the secretary of the viceroyalty of Mexico, Melchor de Peramas, and probably was sent by him on several missions to Florida. His manuscripts were found in the library of the secretary, after the evacuation of Mexico by the Spaniards, and include " Noticias de la Provincia de la Florida y el Cayo de los Martires, con su Plane y Mapa "(dated 1769), the accompanying map of which is remarkably correct for that time; " Informe de los Pescados que se crian en las Costas de la Florida y Campeche, y de los beneficios que pueden resultar de tales Pesquerias" (1770) ; and "Noticia exacta de las Familias, que per la entrega de la Florida a la Corona Britanica, se retiraron a la Habana, y mode con que fueron recibidas" (1770).