Frontise-Piece
The works of the Lord are great: sought out of all them thath pleafure therein.
Psal.
CXI.
2.
Loe, these are part of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him.
Job.
XXVI.
14.
A DESCRIPTION Of a Great Variety of
Animals
and
Vegetables;
VIZ.
BEASTS,
BIRDS,
FISHES,
INSECTS,
PLANTS,
FRUITS,
AND FLOWERS.
Extracted from the most considerable Writers of NATURAL HISTORY; AND Adapted to the Use of all Capacities, especially for the Entertainment of YOUTH.
Being a SUPPLEMENT to
A Description of Three Hundred Animals.
Illustrated with above
Ninety
COPPER PLATES, whereon is curiously Engraven every
Animal
and
Vegetable
described in the whole Book.
The Treasures of NATURE are inexhaustible!
He spake of trees, from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall: He spake also of Beasts, and of Fowl, and of creeping Things, and of Fishes.
1 Kings IV. 33.
LONDON:
Printed by J. T. for THOMAS BOREMAN, near
Child
's Coffee-House in St.
Paul
's Church-Yard.
M.DCC.XXXVI.
To the READER.
T HE Description of Three Hundred Animals,
the first Essay of this kind, for the use of young People, having been favourably received; encouraged me to make this Second Collection of
Animals,
and
Vegetables;
which, I hope, will prove as successful as the former: I have some reason to expect it; because every Invention and Improvement, that tends to delight and please young Persons, (that this does so, is already manifested by Experience) will undoubtedly be a fresh Motive to engage their Attention.
The Minds of Youth, like their bodily Appetites, require to be fed with some suitable Entertainment; the most pleasing Things being wont to cloy by long and frequent Use. Natural History is an inexhaustible Subject, which will furnish them with a boundless Variety of Things, fit to exercise their inquisitive Minds. And I cannot help thinking, that to encourage Youth in reading this Subject, must be of real Benefit, both now and hereafter. It will introduce them into a habit of Reading, from their natural Propensity to view the Pictures, read the Names, and History of the Creatures,
&c.
which all seem delighted with. But the great and chief Service it will be to them hereafter, is bringing them acquainted with the
GREAT CREATOR
of all these Things, by contemplating his stupendious Works: It will afford a delightful Satisfaction, to search into Nature, to trace her Footsteps, and the various Methods she takes to bring her Works to Perfection. Indeed, it cannot be expected, that Children can understand these Things, or be able to make a right Use of them: But by tuition, Persons of the lowest Capacity may be made to know,
That the Lord made the earth by his power, established the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by his understanding,
Jer.
li. 15.
And that he hath replenished the Earth whereon we dwell, with variety of Plants, Animals,
&c.
some for Use, some for Ornament, and some for Delight; which give daily demonstration of the Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of the Maker and Supporter of all these Things.
A new Study seems at first to some Persons hard, intricate, and difficult; but after a little resolution and progress; after they become a little acquainted with it, their Understandings are wonderfully cleared up and enlarged, the Difficulties vanish, and the Thing grows easy, familiar, and pleasant. And sure I am; such studies as these are vastly superior to the Tales, Fables, and Stories of Love, used in Schools, and deserve the regard of Parents and Teachers; as conducing more to the Honour of God, and the real Benefit of Youth. And for our Encouragement in this Study, observe what the Psalmist saith;
The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein,
Psal.
cxi. 2.
Which though it is principally spoken of the Works of Providence, yet may as well he verified of the Works of the Creation.
Fig. 1. Bezoar Goat
A DESCRIPTION Of a great Variety of ANIMALS and VEGETABLES.
BOOK the First.
Of Four-footed BEASTS.
Fig.
1. I S a kind of WILD GOAT bred in the
East-Indies,
which is call'd, in
Latin, Capricerva;
because they partake of the Deer and Goat. The Inhabitants otherwise call them BEZOAR, from whence the Name of
Bezoar
arises. This Animal is very nimble, so that he will skip from Rock to Rock. and is dangerous to the Hunter; for he will defend himself, and sometimes kills the
Indians
that pursue him. The Head of this Creature resembles that of the He-goat. The Horns are very black; and are bended almost to his Back. The Body is covered with an ash-colour'd Hair, inclining to red, much shorter than that of the Goat, and nearest to the Deer's. The Tail is short, and turns up again: The Legs are pretty thick; and the Feet are cleft, like those of the Goat.
Bezoar
is a Stone, produced in several Parts of the Belly of this Goat. It is taken, likewise, out of the Bellies of certain other Animals in the
East-Indies.
It is found in Balls of different sizes and shapes; for some are as big as a Wall-nut; others as a Hazel-nut, (this sort, they say, is taken from a kind of
Ape,
that is found particularly in a certain Island of
America
) and some as a large Pea. Some are round, others oval, flat, or bunched. The Superfices of all the sorts are smooth, polish'd, shining, of an olive or grey Colour; and is made use of in Medicine.
Fig. 2. Musk Goat
Fig. 3 Shamoy
Fig. 4 The Shagreen
Fig.
3. The SHAMOY, or ROCK-GOAT, is a wild Goat no bigger than the common Kind, which frequents the Rocks and high Hills; as the
Alps, Pyrenees,
&c. The Horns of this Animal are odly turn'd, for they rise upright first, and then wind forward like a Hook: It feeds upon the Plants that grows on the Sands, and tops of the Rocks. 'Tis a very shy and timorous Creature: It is coated like a Faun, having a streak running all along the Back. There is a great Trade carried on with these
Shamoy
Skins; by which they convey Oil, Wine, and other Liquids, out of the mountainous Countries; and of which they make several other Uses: for these
Shamoy
Skins, being dressed, are converted into Gloves, Breeches,
&c.
Because they may be washed as Linnen is, and likewise be dyed into what curious Colour you please. Sometimes in the Bladder of these Creatures is found a Stone, which is call'd
German Bezoar,
because the
Germans
esteem this not inferior in Virtue to the Oriental
Bezoar.
The volatile Salt and Oil, of which these Creatures, both Male and Female, afford abundance; are esteem'd of very excellent Use in Physick.
Fig.
4. The SHAGREEN is a Beast (as represented by Mr.
Pomet
) very much like an Horse or Mule; and is very common in
Turkey
and
Poland,
which the
Turks
and
Poles
make use of to carry their Baggage, as in other parts they do Mules, Horses,
&c.
When this Animal is dead, they take the hinder part of his Skin, and hang it in the Air, after having strewed it, when raw, with Mustard-Seed. They leave 'em thus exposed to the Weather several Days, then take them in and tan 'em; and when they are dressed, export them. This Skin is very hard when dry, and soft when steep'd in Water. It is said, that what makes this Skin so hard, is because the Animal sits down, and rests very much on his Buttocks. They bring two Sorts of Shagreen from
Turkey, viz.
the grey, or ash-colour'd, which is the best; and the white, or salted Shagreen. The Use of this Shagreen is very universal for all sorts of Pocket Utensils, Watch Cases, Toys,
&c.
They may dye these Skins what Colour they please; but the most common are black, green, and red. The most beautiful and dearest, is the red Colour, because of the Vermilion and Carmine with which it is dyed. Shagreen Skin is often counterfeited in Work.
Fig.
5. The ANTELOPE is shap'd very much like a Deer; and about the same bigness; of a chesnut Colour, and white under the Belly. His Horns are almost straight from his Head up, tapering gradually, with Rings like a Screw, till within an Inch and an half of the top. It has fine large black Eyes; a long and slender Neck, Feet, and Legs. There are many of these Creatures in an Herd; when at the same time they have Scouts, who by running give them Notice of an approaching Foe. They are taken by shot,
&c.
being too swift for a Greyhound. The Antelope in shape and beauty excels most of the four-footed Race. This Creature is described in the
Book of Three Hundred Animals;
but the Figure there being very faulty, nothing like the Antelope; and having since an Opportunity of a true Draught taken from the Creature itself; I hope giving it double will be excused.
Fig 5. The Antelope
Fig. 6. The Skink
Fig. 8 The African Man-Tiger
Fig: 7. The Indian Man-Tiger
Fig.
7. The MAN-TIGER is bred in
Africa;
&c. It is of the bigness of a large Ape or Baboon; of a brown Colour on the Back and Sides; the Belly, Neck, and Throat, of a whitish Colour; the Buttocks and Face of a light blue: It has a bunch of Hair standing up on the top of the Head; and another, resembling a Beard, hanging under the Chin: The Vent of this Animal is placed very high on the hinder part of its Back. It is a Beast that participates much of the subtle and mischievous Nature of Apes and Baboons; but much more bold and fierce. Some Writers have confidently asserted, that some of these Creatures have had the boldness to attack the Chastity of Women. Mr.
Bradley
mentions one sort of Ape brought from the
East-Indies,
that is very vicious; and he knew one that had more than once attempted to force a Servant of the House where he was kept. The
Man-Tiger
is thought to approach the nearest the Human Species, both in Form and Sense, of all the Brute Creation.
Fig.
8. Is a MAN-TIGER brought from
Africa;
which differs something from the former. It is copied from the Figure Mr.
Bradley
exhibits, in the
Works of Nature. Fig.
7. is from a Painting by a good Hand, from the Creature itself.
Fig.
9. This little Creature is found at
Surinam. Merian
calls it, a sort of WOOD DORMOUSE: It carries her young Ones with her, on her Back; five or six of which, she brings forth at a time. It is of a yellowish brown Colour, but its under part is of a whitish Colour. When she goes out to seek for Food, her young Ones run about her; which, when they are full, or in danger, or for weariness, immediately mount upon their Mother's Back, and twist their Tails round the Tail of the old one, who forthwith carries them into her Hole.
Fig. 9. A wood Dormouse
Fig:
1
The Avosetta
BOOK the Second.
Of BIRDS.
Fig.
1. T HE AVOSETTA, is a Bird common at
Rome
and
Venice,
and do also frequent our Eastern Coasts of
Suffolk
and
Norfolk
in Winter time. Its length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail, was fourteen Inches; breadth, when the Wings were expanded, twenty one Inches; its weight nine Ounces: Its Bill was three Inches long, slender, black, flat or depressed, reflected upwards, which is peculiar to this Bird, ending in a very thin, slender, weak point; the Tongue is short, not cloven; the Head of a mean size, round like a Ball, and black above the Eyes; the Colour of the whole under Side of the Body was white, and the upper side partly white and partly black, or dark brown; its Legs are very long, of a lovely blue Colour, bare above the Knees, and the Claws black and little; it hath a back Toe, but a very small one. Mr.
Albin
says, he had this Bird from
Newgate-Market;
it was brought to that Place with other Wild-fowl.
Fig.
2. The BEARD-MANICA, or BEARDED-TITMOUSE, is in length from the tip of the Bill, to the end of the Tail, about six Inches and an half; in breadth, when the Wings are extended, ten Inches and a half; in weight nine Drams and a half: The Bill is short, thick, and of a yellowish Colour, (in the Hen dusky.) The Head is of a dark ash Colour; from the Eyes a Tuft of black Feathers hangs down, ending in a point, representing a picked Beard, from which Mark it has the Name of
Beard-manica.
The Back, upper part of the Wings, and lower part of the Belly, and Tail, are brown; under the Chin white; the Breast, Belly, and Thighs, of a pale yellowish white, with a tincture of brown; the Legs and Feet black. This Bird is very singular in the care and love which he shews to the Hen; when at Roost, he covers her all Night with his Wing. The Hen is something smaller than the Cock, and of a more beautiful yellowish brown; the Wings and Legs of the same Colour with those of the Cock: The Hen is without the Beard, and more pale on the Breast.—They are found in the Salt-Marshes in
Essex,
and likewise in the Fens in
Lincolnshire.
Fig:
2
The Beard-manica
Fig:
3
The Jacobine Pigeon
Fig.
4
Frigate Bird
Fig.
4. The FRIGAT Bird, which the
Indians
call so, because of the swiftness of its flight; has a Body no bigger than a Pullet's, but its Stomach is very fleshy: The Males are as black as Ravens. The Neck is pretty long, the Head small, with two great black Eyes, and the Sight more piercing than the Eagle's; The Bill is likewise pretty thick, and entirely black, about six or seven Inches long; the upper Beak is crook'd like a Hook: The Claws are very short, and divided as the Vulture's. The Wings of this Bird are very large, and not without a provident design of Nature, since his Wings are sometimes employ'd to carry him above a hundred Leagues from Land. It is with a great deal of Trouble, that this Bird can raise himself upon the Branches, because of the extraordinary length of his Wings; but when he has once taken his flight, he keeps his Wings extended almost without any Motion or Fatigue. If sometimes the weight of the Rain, or the violence of the Winds, force him, he mounts above the Clouds, beyond Sight, in the middle Region of the Air; and when he is at the highest, he does not forget where-about he is, but remembers the place where the
Dorado,
or gold Fish, gives chace to the flying Fish, and then he throws himself down like Lightning; not so as to strike upon the Water, for then it would be difficult for him to rise again; but when he comes within twelve or fourteen Paces, he makes a large turn, and lowering himself, as it were insensibly, till he comes to skim the Waters where the Chace is given; in passing, he takes up the little Fish, either with his Bill, or his Talons, and sometimes both together. He has a great red Comb, like that of the Cock, not upon his Head, but under the Throat; and this Comb does not appear but in the old ones; The Females have none; the Feathers are whiter than those of the Males, especially under the Belly. These Birds, for a long time, made a little Island their Habitation; in like manner, as the Rooks have a Rookery, where all of that Species thereabout, come to roost at Nights, and build their Nest in the proper Season. This little Island was called the
Isle of Frigats,
and bears the Name to this Day, tho' the Birds have left the Place; for in the Year 1643, and the following Year, several People chas'd them so severely, that they were forc'd to forsake the Isle. Father
du Tertre,
Apostolical Missionary in the
Antillees,
mov'd by the large Commendations give of the Oil drawn from these Fowls, with the Assistance of two or three more Persons, took above one hundred of them in less than two hours time. They surpriz'd the old ones upon the Branches of the Trees, or in the Nests; and as they rise with a great deal of Difficulty to take Wing, it was an easy matter to beat them down with long Sticks. The Oil, or Fat of these Birds, is a sovereign Remedy for
Sciatica
Pains; and for all others proceeding from a cold Cause: It is held in great esteem throughout all the
Indies,
as a precious Medicine.
Fig.
5. The BENGAL JAY is something bigger than our
English
Jay: The Bill is of an ash Colour; the top of the Head blue; the Neck and Breast an ash, with a mixture of light brown and red; the Wings are blue, as also the under part of the Belly and Thighs; the Back and Rump are of a muddy green Colour; the Tail is of a dark blue next the Body, of a pale or bright blue in the middle, and dark towards the end: Its Legs and Feet are of a yellowish brown; and the Claws black.
Fig: 5 A Bengal Gay
Fig: 6 Bengal Quail
Fig. 7. Bohemian-Gay
Fig. 8 Banana Bird
Fig. 7.
The BOHEMIAN JAY, or CHATTERER, is as big as a Blackbird; being in length, from the point of the Bill to the end of the Tail, nine Inches; breadth, when the Wings are extended, eighteen Inches; its Bill is of a greenish Colour; the Eyes of a beautiful red encompassed with black; the Head somewhat flatish, and of a chesnut Colour, adorned with a Crest or Tuft bending backward, of the same Colour, the top more faint: The upper part of the Neck, Back, and covert Feathers of the Wings of an amber Colour; the Breast, Belly, and Thighs more dilute; the Quill Feathers of the Wings are of a dark ash, inclining to black, the half of which have their Tips yellow; the Tail blackish, except the Tip which is yellow. This Bird is said to be peculiar to
Bohemia:
It feeds on Fruit, especially Grapes, which it seems very greedy of. It is exceedingly voracious; flies in Companies, and is easily tamed.
Fig.
8. The BANANA Bird from
Jamaica,
is of the bigness of our
English
Sterling: The Head, Neck, and upper part of the Breast, part of the Back, and the Wings and Tail were black, except some white Spots in the upper covert Feathers of the Wing; all the rest of the Body is of a fine gold yellow. It resembles the Sterling in all its Actions, being very mischievous. It is a Native of
Jamaica,
and other of the
Caribbee
Islands. Four or five of these Birds, will set upon, and kill a large Bird or Fowl; and when dead, each one, according to his place of Mastership, choose his part,
viz.
the Heart, Brains,
&c.
keepin
the part which he makes choice of, till he has satiate
himself. This, says Mr.
Albin,
I have been Eye witness too.
Fig. 9.
The WARWOVWEN is almost as big a
an Eagle; the top of his Head and Neck, were o
a flesh Colour, bare of Feathers; the sides of the Face, Chin, and back part of the Head, of a dar
brown Colour; the Bill long, and hooked at the and, of a red or saffron Colour, with a broad stripe of lead Colour in the middle, round the upper and under Mandible; on the base of its Bill, grew two broad flat scalloped Caruncles of an orange Colour: The Irides of the Eyes white, circled round with scarlet: The Ruff was thick set, with soft long downy Feathers, of an ash Colour; the Back and covert Feathers of the Wings, were of a pale buff Colour; the Quill Feathers black; the Craw was of a flesh Colour, and bare of Feathers, hanging down like a Bag on the Breast; The Breast, Belly, and Thighs were white; the Tail was composed of twelve white Feathers, tipt almost half way with black. The Legs and Feet were of a yellowish flesh Colour; the Claws black; its Food was raw Flesh. This Bird I saw at the
George
Tavern at
Charing-Cross,
with the
Cassowares;
his Keepers call'd him the King of the
Vavows,
or King of the Vultures. He was brought by a
Dutch
Ship from
Pallampank
in the
East-Indies.
It seems to be somewhat like that Bird which Mr.
Willoughby
describes by the Name of
Uruba,
or the
Brasil
Vulture
Fig.
9
The Warwovwen
Fig. 11. The Little Owl
Fig. 10. Little Horn Owl
Fig.
10. The Little HORN-OWl is in weight about ten Ounces; its length from the point of the Bill to the end of the Tail, fourteen Inches; its breadth, when the Wings are extended, three Feet four Inches; its Bill black, and a little above an Inch long; the Tongue fleshy and a little divided; the Face is encompassed with a double row of Feathers, the outer row variegated with small white, black, and red Lines; the inner row, under the Eyes, reddish. Its Horns were above an Inch long, of a yellowish white, with six indented transverse Lines of black; and in shape resembling the Ears of a Cat. The whole Bird was cover'd with a delicate Plume, beautifully variegated with white, black, red, yellow and brown Colours. The Legs of this Owl were feather'd down to the Feet, and of a light brown Colour; the Claws black. These Birds are found in mountainous and unfrequented Places, not delighting in the lower and plain Countries. That from whence this Figure was copied, was shot on
Enfield Chace:
in the Stomach of it was found Bones and Fur of Mice.
Fig.
11. Is call'd the LITTLE OWL: It was taken on the Coast of
Ushant
by my
Brother;
it having lost its way at Sea, lighting on the Mast of the Ship, was so tired that it suffer'd itself to be taken without any Resistance, and was preserved and brought home by him, and given to me; and from that Bird this Figure was taken by Mr.
Albin.
This little Owl was about the bigness of a Blackbird; it weighed three Ounces; its length from the tip of the Beak to the end of the Tail, was seven Inches and a half; breadth when the Wings were extended, fourteen Inches: Its Bill was like that of other Owls; the Tongue a little divided, as in the rest of this Tribe; the Ears great, the Eyes lesser than in other Owls. The Wreath or Circle of Feathers encompassing the Face, beyond the Ears less and less discernable; the upper part of the Body was of a dark brown, with a Mixture of red, having transverse white Spots, intermixed with lines and small specks of black; the Feathers about the Ears were more variegated with black and white; the Chin and Belly of a yellowish white; the Breast marked with long dusky Spots, inclosed with a border of white; its Wings were prettily chequer'd with black and white: Its Legs feather'd down to the Claws; the Feet of a dark yellow; the Claws blackish: It had two fore Toes, and two back Toes.
Fig.
12. The HOOPOE COCK is in weight about ten Ounces; in length, from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail, twelve Inches; breadth, when the Wings are extended, eighteen Inches; its Bill two Inches and a quarter long, black, sharp, and something bending. The shape of the Body approacheth to that of a Plover: The Head is adorned with a most beautiful Crest two Inches high, consisting of a double row of Feathers, reaching from the Bill to the Nape of the Neck, all along the top of the Head; which it can at pleasure set up and let fall; it is made up of twenty-four Feathers, some of which are longer than others; the tips of them are black, under the black they are white, the remaining part under the white being of a chesnut inclining to yellow; the Neck is of a pale reddish yellow; the Breast white.
Fig. 13. Hoopoe Hen
Fig: 12. Hoopoe Cock
Fig: 14 The Flammant
Fig.
14. The FLAMMANT was in length, from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Claws, four Feet ten Inches and a half; in breadth, when the Wings were extended, four Feet; the Legs sixteen Inches from the Knee to the end of the middle Claw; its Bill five Inches and a quarter long, of a singular shape; the upper Mandible is flat and broad, crooked and toothed; the lower thicker than the upper; the tip black, in the young Birds of a dark blue. It is two Years before this Bird arrives to its perfect Colour; at which time it is entirely red, except the prime Feathers of the Wings, which are black when it is at its full bigness: its weight is about two Pounds and a half; its Legs are long, and of a red Colour, bare of Feathers a good way above the Knees; the Toes webb'd together; the Claws black. These Birds make their Nests on Hillocks, in shallow Water, on which they sit with their Legs extended downwards. They breed on the Coast of
Cuba
and the
Bahama
Islands, and frequent the salt Water; a Man by concealing himself from their sight, may kill great Numbers of them, for they will not rise at the Report of a Gun; neither is the sight of those killed close by them, sufficient to terrify the rest, and warn them of the Danger; but they stand gazing, and as it were astonished, till they are most or all of them killed. When they feed (which is always in shallow Water) by bending their Neck, they lay the upper part of their Bill next the Ground, their Feet being in continual Motion up and down in the Mud; by which they raise a small round sort of Seed or Grain, resembling Millet, which they receive into their Bill; and as there is a necessity of admitting into their Mouths some Mud, Nature has provided the edges of their Bill with fine Teeth like those of a Comb, with which they retain the Food, and reject the Mud that is taken in with it. They are thought by some to feed on Fish likewise. This Figure was taken from the Bird itself by Mr.
Albin:
It was brought from Sir
Robert Walpole
's, where it had been kept alive in the Kitchen some time.
Fig.
15. The CARASOW COCK is almost as big as a Turky; its Bill thick, and hooked at the end, partly ash and partly yellow; on the Base of the upper Mandible is a round Excrescence of the bigness of a Nutmeg, of a yellow Colour; the Eyes black; the Head and Neck covered with Feathers of a deep black like Velvet: On its Head is a Crest of curled black Feathers with white tips turning up spirally as far as the beginning of the Neck, which it can erect or let fall at pleasure: All the rest of the Bird is black, excepting the lower part of the Belly about the Vent, which is white, with a Mark of the fame Colour across the Thigh; the Legs and Feet are of a pale rusty Colour.
Fig: 15. Carasow Cock
Fig: 16. Carasow Hen
Fig: 17. The Red Bird.
Fig: 18. Ganser
Fig.
17. The RED BIRD from
Richmond.
This Name is imposed on it, for want of knowing its real Name. It was kept at
Richmond
Palace, when Her present Majesty was Princess of
Wales,
amongst her Collection of Rarities of this kind. Mr.
Albin
drew the Figure from the Bird itself, but could not meet with any one to inform him from what Country it was brought, nor to answer some other Questions he wanted to ask concerning it. Excepting in the Colour, it is pretty much like the
Carasow
Hen, and about the same bigness; its Head likewise is furnish'd with a beautiful Crest, very much resembling the Crest of that Bird; and indeed it seems to be of the same Species with that Fowl: The Disagreement that is between them, may perhaps be only owing to the different Places they are brought from, or such Difference as is common amongst tame Fowls. The outer edges all round the Crest was black; the lower part of the Crest next the Head, and part of the Neck, was of a lead Colour; all the rest of the Bird, a fine red, only the Wings and Tail somewhat darker than the Body; and the Legs and Feet black.
Fig.
18. The GANSER may be classed with those of the Goose-kind, the Bill and Feet being like theirs; the top and back part of the Head, Breast, Belly, and Thighs were of a pale yellowish buff-colour, with a light tincture of reddish brown, here and there in Spots, excepting a large Spot of reddish brown on the middle of the Breast: The Bill was red, flat, and toothed like that of the Goose: The fore-part of the Head round the Eyes reddish brown, with a ring of the same Colour round the upper part of the Neck, joining to the Head: The back part of the Head and Back were of a reddish brown Colour: The Tail short and black. It was web-footed, its Legs very long, and bare above Knee, both Legs and Feet of a red Colour. Its Food was the same with that of Geese, eating Grass and Corn. The Difference between the Cock and Hen could not be distinguished, either by the Colours or Shape, but only by the Cock's running to the Hen with open Wings, clasping or embracing her round with them.
Fig.
19. The RED-WING'D STARLING very much resembles the common Starling in shape and size. The whole Bird is black, except the upper part of the Wings, which is a bright scarlet, under that a yellow: The Legs, Feet and Claws are black. This Bird was shot near
London;
it was thought to be a Cage Bird, which had bot loose: In its Gizzard was found Grubs, Beetles, and small Maggots. It is a Native of
Carolina
and
Virginia,
in which Countries they are very numerous. Mr.
Catesby
makes mention of its flying in Companies with the Purple-Daws, and destroying the Corn wherever they come, being the most destructive Birds in those Countries. He says it makes its Nest over the Water amongst Reeds and Sedges, the tops of which they interweave so artfully, making an Arch or Covering, under which they hang their Nest, (after the manner of the Reed Sparrow) and so secure from wet, that where the Tide flows it is observed never to reach them. It is a very active and familiar Bird, and when kept in a Cage will learn to imitate human Speech.
Fig: 19 Redwing'd Starling
Fig: 20 Red Legg'd Horsman
Fig. 22 Long. Tail'd Humming Bird
Fig. 21. Green Crown Bird
Fig.
21. The GREEN CROWN BIRD is a very stately fine Fowl, of the bigness of a large Turky. Its Body is cover'd with long Feathers resembling Hair; and of a dark green Colour, having a purplish cast on the Back and Sides, some broad Stripes of red on the Wings tending downwards, the Thighs of a yellowish buff-colour; the Legs and Toes long, of a pale yellow Colour; the Claws black. Upon the top of the Head of this Bird, grew certain shafts or stalks, bearing little round Balls on their tops, like those of an Earl's Coronet, of a yellowish Colour: On the fore-part of the Head, a little above the Bill, it has a small red Comb, and two red Marks on each side of the Head. The Bill is short, thick, strong, a little bowed; and of a pale yellow Colour. This Bird is found in the
East Indies.
Fig.
22. The LONG-TAIL HUMMING-BIRD is the least of all the Species of this Kind of Birds, of which Naturalists reckon nine different sorts, and the least that we know of found upon our Globe. Its length from the beginning of the Head, or Insertion of the Bill, to the rise of the Tail, is two Inches and a half; that is, the Neck one Inch, and the Body an Inch and a half long: the Head small; the Bill a little more than an Inch long, black, round, sharp and almost straight. The Legs and Feet like those of the rest; the Feathers also of the Body and Wings are alike disposed, but differently coloured: It hath a Tail longer than any of the rest, somewhat more than three Inches, consisting of Feathers, of which that which is nearer to its rise is shorter, the second always longer. The Tail is forked, and the Bird in flying spreads it into two large Horns, so that the tips of the Horns are an Inch and an half distant from each other. The whole Head and Neck of this Bird is of a shining silken black Colour, inclining to or interchanging with blue, as in the Necks of Mallards; the whole Back and Breast are green, shining interchangeably with golden and sea-green, as in the second kind of these Birds. The Wings are of a liver-colour; the Tail of of a blackish blue, shining like polished Steel blued over. There are so great a variety of beautiful Colours, in the Feathers of all the Kinds of these Birds; and so wonderfully resplendent, that they cannot be well represented by any Painter: The
Indians
make of these Feathers the Representations of Saints, and other things, so dextrously and artificially, to the Life, that one would think they were drawn with a Pencil in Colours. These Birds are fed and nourished with Honey, Dew, and the Juice of Flowers, which they suck out of them with their Bill, or rather very long Tongue, provided and fitted by Nature for that Use; so that being taken alive, they cannot be kept for want of Food, but die in a short time.
Fig: 23 Porphyrio
Fig. 24. Amadavad Bird
Fig. 25. Crown Bird
Fig.
24. The AMADAVAD BIRD in bigness scarce exceeds the
Golden-crown'd Wren.
Its Bill in shape is like a Goldfinch's; for colour red: The upper side of the Body is of a dusky Colour, in some Birds lighter, in others darker; only the Feathers growing about the Rump are of a scarlet or deep orange; the Quill-feathers of the Wings and those of the Tail are black. The Tail itself is an Inch and half long, made up of twelve Feathers. In some Birds the upper part of the Breast is of a scarlet red, in others it is wholly black, as is the rest of the Breast and Belly in all. The Colour of the Feathers of these Birds vary very much: The Legs and Feet are white; the Claws very long, like those of Larks, but more crooked. These
Amadavad
Birds are brought from the
East Indies.
Fig.
25. The CROWN BIRD from
Mexico
is of the bigness of the
Thrush;
its Bill of a tawny Flesh-colour, thick and short, after the manner of the Grosbeaks. It has a large Crest of green Feathers, which it can set up or lay down at pleasure: The Head, Neck, Back, Breast, and part of the Belly, green; the lower part of the Belly and Thighs of a dusky brown Colour; the first four Quill-feathers of the Wings scarlet, the fourth having fine long white Marks in the outer Web; the rest of the Quill-feathers purple, as was also the Tail; the covert and scapular Feathers of the Wings purple, with a Mixture of green; the Legs and Feet of a bluish lead Colour.
Fig: 26.
of Paradise
Fig. 27. Cock Maccaw
Fig.
27. The COCK MACCAW: Its Head, Neck, Breast, Belly, and under part of the Tail are a fine scarlet, as is also some of the covert Feathers of the Wings; the Back, rest of the Wings, and upper part of the Tail, are of a rich blue: The Beak is of a light ash Colour, the upper Mandible tipt with black: The Legs and Feet are of a dark ash Colour.
Fig.
28. The HEN MACCAW from
Jamaica,
and other Parts of the
West Indies:
is in length from the tip of its Bill to the end of the Tail, thirty Inches: The Body equals that of a well-fed Capon; The Bill hooked, and in that measure that it makes an exact Semicircle, a full Palm long. The top of the Head, the Neck, Back, Wings, and upper side of the Tail, of a very pleasant blue or azure Colour: The Throat, Breast, Belly, Thighs, Rump and Tail underneath all of a saffron Colour. The Tail was about eighteen Inches long: The Legs very short, thick, and of a dusky or dark Colour; as are also the Feet; the Toes long, armed with great, crooked, black Talons. It differs from the Cock, which is of a beautiful scarlet and blue Colour. These
Maccaws
are the largest of all the Parrot Kind, and bear a good Price, being commonly sold for ten Guineas. This Bird seems to be the same with that
Aldrovandus
calls the greatest
blue and yellow Maccaw:
and like wise the
Maccaw
call'd
Ararauna
by the
Brasilians;
described by
Marggravius.
Fig. 28. Hen: Maccaw
Fig. 29. Yellow Sawrey
Fig. 30. Green Paroqueet
Fig.
29. The yellow LAWREY, or PAROQUEET, is of the bigness of a Lark, hath a very hooked Bill, of a grey Colour: Its Legs and Feet are of an ash Colour: It hath a very long Tail, reaching about ten Inches beyond the ends of the Wings; both the Belly underneath, and also the Head, Neck, and Back above, are of a beautiful reddish Colour: but the Breast and lower Feathers of the Tail are of a pale rose Colour, which Tail-feathers end in a lovely blue, or Colour mingled of white and green. The Wings are chiefly green, but interwoven with red Feathers, the one half whereof is so variegated on each side with yellow and rose Colour, that exposed to the Sun it represents a thousand varieties of shining Colours, and can hardly be expressed by a Painter: so that this Bird deserves to be highly prized by great Persons. These Paroqueets are brought from the
East Indies,
&c. and are found chiefly in the midland Countries: They roost and build on the highest Trees; they fly in Companies, and with great noise, as doth the whole Tribe of Parrots: They also learn to pronounce some Words, if they be kept tame.
Fig.
30. Is the small GREEN PAROQUEET; the top of the Head and the Throat are red; as is likewise part of the Tail; the Pinions of the Wings and Rump bluish, all the rest of the Feathers of this Bird of a deep green: The Bill hooked, and of a pale yellowish Colour.
Fig.
31. The GREEN PARROT is on the top and sides of the Head, and Rump, of a fine yellow, or gold Colour, intermixed with red: The Shoulders of the Wings a fine scarlet; the first, second, and third rows of covert Feathers of the Wings, are of a beautiful green; the large Quill-feathers of a deep blue, with white edges: The outer edges of four Feathers in the Tail, the same Colour with those on the Shoulders of the Wings.
Fig.
32. The LAWREY is the most beautiful Bird of all the Parrot Kind: The top of its Head is of a fine purple; the Wings of a curious green, as is also the Thighs: It has a half Circle of bright yellow under the Throat: The Neck, Back, Belly and Tail, are of a lovely scarlet: The Legs of a lead Colour; and the tip of the Tail black. The
Lawrey
is as big as the large common Parrot.
Fig 31. Green Parrot
Fig. 32. The Lawrey
Fig. 33. The Batt.
Fig.
33. The BATT, or FLUTTER-MOUSE, is a Creature between a Bird and a Beast, of which there are three Kinds that we know of,
viz.
the common sort, frequent in
England;
another sort about one fourth bigger than the common, with Ears twisted like
Rams
Horns, about an Inch and a half in measure; and a third kind brought to us from the
West Indies,
whose Body is as large as a Rat, and the Wings being extended, measure from point to point above two Feet. In these Creatures there is no remarkable difference, but the size of their Parts. These Animals partake of the four-footed Kind in the Make of the Head, which agrees very much with those of the Mouse or Rat kind; the shape of the Trunk of their Bodies likewise is much the same, and are both cover'd with Hair: They also bring forth their young ones perfectly formed, like the four-footed kind, and give them suck. They partake of the Bird kind in having only two Legs, besides the Hooks at the pinions of their Wings; they have also the Power of flying. The Note or Voice of these Animals is between the chirping of Birds, and the cry of four-footed Beasts. These Creatures have not long Tails, like Animals with four Feet. It is said, the
Batt
sleeps all the Winter in Holes of old Houses and Walls; it very rarely appears in the Day-time, but flies in the dusk of the Evening only. The Wings of a
Batt
are wonderful strange, consisting of one entire Skin, webb'd together somewhat like the Feet of Water-Fowl. The Claws or Hooks on the tops of the Wings, this Creature makes use of to hang by to any thing it is minded; whilst it is either feeding, sleeping,
&c.
It feeds on Bacon, Cheese,
&c.
The Description of this Creature would more properly have come in between the
Beasts
and
Birds;
but being omitted there, I chose to place it here rather than leave it out.
BOOK the Third.
Of FISHES.
Fig: 1. Cuttle Fish.
Fig: 2. The Croker.
Fig.
2. The CROKER is usually about fourteen Inches in length, of the size of a large Mackrel, but thicker: In deeper Waters, as in the great Bay of
Chesapeak
they are sometimes taken three Feet in length: The Back and upper part of the Head of this Fish are of a brown Colour; the Sides and Belly of a light Colour, tinctured with red; the Tail entirely red: It has six Fins, two on the Back, two on the Belly, and one on each side below the Gills; the Fins are of a light Colour, striped with a faint red: The Iris of its Eyes are of a fine gold Colour; the Mouth large, furnish'd with very small sharp Teeth. These Fish are found in most of the Rivers of
Virginia.
They are accounted tolerable good Meat.
Fig.
3. The BONE FISH is on the upper part of the Head, Back, and Tail, of a dusky blue Colour; the Belly and Sides of a light ash Colour; the Eyes encircled with white; the Tail forked: It has four Fins; a long spiny one on the Back, one on the Belly, and one on each side under the Gills, near the upper part of the Belly. There are plenty of these Fish on the Coasts of the
Bahama
Islands.
Fig: 3. Bone Fish.
Fig: 5. Black Tail.
Fig.
5. The BLACK-TAIL FISH is commonly from six to ten Inches in length, and proportionably thick: The Back, Fins, and upper part of the Head, are of a dusky Colour, inclining to black; the Tail black, with a broad Border of yellow round it, and forked: The Sides are of a bluish ash Colour; with five Lines of bright yellow extending from the Head to near the Tail; the Eyes encircled with white; the Mouth large: The Head and Body in shape are pretty much like the
Bone-Fish:
It is furnish'd with Teeth like those of a Pearch.
Fig.
6. The SQUIRREL FISH is generally about twelve Inches in length, from the tip of the Snout to the end of the Tail; though some of them grow to four times that bigness: The whole Fish, excepting the first Fin on the Back, and the Sides which have a shade of white, is of a beautiful scarlet Colour; the Tail forked; the Eyes large, and the Mouth small: It has six Fins, of a singular form; the first on the Back is strengthned with many large sharp-pointed Bones, shap'd like Daggers; behind which shoots forth a long pliant sharp-pointed Fin, in shape exactly like one Fork of the Tail; the rest as express'd in the Figure, which is an exact Draught. This Fish is a well-tasted good eating Fish.
Fig: 6, Sea. Squirrel, on Red Pearch
Fig: 7 Skip-Jack
Fig.
7. The SKIP-JACK, so called in
Carolina,
from its frequent skipping out of the Water; but in
Virginia
it is called
Green Fish,
because when just taken, the Back and upper part of the Sides appear of a fine resplendent green Colour. This Fish is about twelve Inches in length; has a large wide Mouth, both Jaws armed with a single row of sharp Teeth; a bright Eye, encircled with yellow. It has five Fins, and a forked Tail. Its Scales are very small, and the Fish when alive is exceeding beautiful. It is a Fish of no disagreeable Taste, but accounted tolerable good Meat.
Fig.
8. The GREEN EEL is of the bigness of a large common Eel, and like it in shape. The whole Body is of a deep green, finely spotted with black. One kind of this Fish is of a light grey Colour sprinkled with innumerable black Spots; perhaps of different Sex only: The Inhabitants of the
Bahama
Islands will eat only the green sort, rejecting those which are black, as thinking them poisonous. It is customary for these Fish, as they are lurking among the hollow Rocks and Corals, to bite Peoples Legs that are exposed to them, though their bite is of no worse consequence than fetching Blood.
Fig.
9. The FRESH-WATER PEARCH is usually small, seldom found as big as a Man's Hand: the Back of a dark brown dusky Colour; the Sides of a fine blue, extended from the Head to the Tail, but more fainter towards the Tail; the Belly of a lovely golden yellow; and the Tail of a dusky yellowish Colour: It has five Fins, that on the Back and those under the Belly of a bright yellow, those on the Sides under the Gills white: The Eye is encircled with a golden yellow; across the Gills, which are of the same blue Colour as the Sides, are divers Lines of black pointing towards the Head; and just above the Fin on the side, near to the Gills, is a very remarkable beautiful red Spot, and joining to that a black one. Of these Fish there are plenty both in
Carolina
and
Virginia:
They are chiefly found in Mill-Ponds, and other standing fresh Waters; and called by some
Ground-Pearch,
from their burrowing into, and covering themselves in the Mud or Sand.
Fig: 9. Fresh water Pearch
Fig: 10. Rudder-fish.
Fig. 11. Lane Snapper
Fig.
11. The LANE-SNAPPER is in length about nine or ten Inches; the whole Body is of a red Colour, darkest on the Back; with Lines, and Dashes of bright yellow all over the Body and Head: The Fins yellow, and the Tail red and forked. The Eye is large encircled with red.
Fig.
12. The SEA-HAWK is a slender Fish about fourteen Inches long; of a dark brown Colour on the upper part, the Sides and Belly light. The Fins and Tail are of a reddish brown; the Eye is encircled with the same Colour. The Mouth is very large for the size of the Fish, and well furnished with small sharp irregular Teeth; the Tail is forked. These Fish are sometimes taken on the Coast of
Carolina,
but very rare.
Fig.
13. The
Bahama
UNICORN-FISH is sometimes found three Feet in length: The Body is of a very odd singular Form, thick in the middle, and tapering at both ends; the Head resembles that of a Hog's: It has a very small Mouth, with six Teeth only; two in the upper and four in the under Jaw: The upper part of the Head, Back and Tail, of a dark olive Colour; the Belly white; the Fins are of a pale red. The Body and Head of this Fish was marked all over very oddly with Lines resembling Worms and Maggots; of a beautiful skyblue Colour: The Eye is large, encircled first with yellow, then with olive, then with yellow again, and lastly the whole circumvested with blue of the same Colour with the marks on the Body: besides those blue marks, the Body is sprinkled thinly over with black round Spots, like Patches: It has a tapering sharp-pointed Fin or Horn, growing out of the top of the Back, a little behind the Eyes; which it can raise and point either backward or forward at its pleasure, and when laid along reaches to the Fin on the Back: This Bone is very brittle, and easily broke, by which one would not think it so defensive a Weapon as otherwise Nature seems to have design'd it for. These Fish are not eat, being thought poifonous: They most frequent those Seas amongst the
Bahama
Islands, where the Corals are most plentiful. Its Guts were full of small Shells and other coralline Substances, most of which was ground very small; which by the strength of its Jaws Nature has enabled it to perform.
Fig: 13. Bahama Unicorn — fish
Fig: 14. The Blew Fish
Fig.
14. The BLUE FISH is usually about a Foot in length; though sometimes they are found as large again: The Head is large; of an uncommon Structure, as the Figure represents, somewhat like the Whale's, which produces the
Sperma Ceti:
The Mouth small; the Eyes encircled with red; the Tail forked and strip'd with black Lines; the whole Fish of a sine blue Colour. They are frequently taken among the
Bahama
Islands; and in most of the Seas between the Tropicks.
Fig.
15. The Old PUDDING WIFE FISH is about a Foot in length; sometimes they are found sixteen Inches long: The Body of this Fish was of a dark olive Colour on the Back, the Belly and Sides lighter; cover'd with large Scales, having the upper edge of every Scale blue. It has a long yellow Fin on the Back, edged with a narrow border of blue, like a Ribbon, another Fin on the Belly, near the Tail, of the same Colour, edged in like manner: It has likewise a long Fin, shooting out from the upper part of the Belly, near the Gills, with the same Line of blue extending from the Basis to the Point. It has a broad beautiful Border that extends from the Fin on one side, quite under the Belly to the Fin on the other side, representing a Girt; with five Lines of blue and yellow alternately. The Eye is encircled with a lovely red, like Fire, from whence shoot forth seven bright blue Rays; which gives it the beautiful appearance of a resplendent Star. The Mouth of this Fish is not large; but its Jaws are armed with strong sharp Teeth; the upper Mandible is loose, and can be contracted, or drawn in upon occasion under the adjoining bony part of the Head, in like manner as in the
Hog-Fish:
The Tail is of a dark brown with a broad Border of yellow, inclining to red.
Fig: 15. Old Pudding-wife Fish
Fig: 16. Hog. Fish.
Fig.
16. The HOG-FISH is commonly about a Foot in length; yet sometimes they are found two Feet long: The Head, Tail, Fins, and whole Body of this Fish are of a yellowish red Colour; the Belly somewhat lighter than the rest of the Body: The Eyes are encircled with a pale red; the Tail forked. The Head something like that of a Hog's, being sharp-snouted: The end of its upper Jaw is furnished with large sharp Teeth; opposite to which in the under Jaw are two of the same size; the rest of the Teeth are small, sharp, and thick-set: The upper Jaw is gristly, and so disjoined from the Head, that, like the
Pudding-Wife Fish,
it can either dilate or contract it at pleasare.
Fig.
17. The GRUNT is in length, from the tip of the Snout, to the end of the Tail, about twelve Inches: The Back of this Fish is of a dark brown Colour; the Belly and Sides of a light ash, inclining to blue; the Fins and Tail of a light brown: The whole Body is covered with large Scales, edged with yellow: The Head is elegantly striped with a bright blue, and a golden yellow Colour, alternately placed; which makes it appear as if the Head was cover'd with a rich strip'd Sattin. The Mouth of this Fish is large, the Eye encircled with yellow, and the Tail forked.
Fig: 17. Grunt Fish
Fig: 18. The Pork Fish
Fig.
18. The PORK-FISH is commonly about twelve-Inches in length, and about five broad; with a rising Back: The Eyes of a bright yellow; its Mouth moderately wide, with many very small sharp Teeth: The Fins on the Back and Belly of a deep yellow, or orange Colour; the Tail of the same Colour, and forked; the Fins on the sides of a pale yellow: The Head, Back, and Sides of a dark blue or lead Colour, the Belly something lighter, six broad Lines extend from the Head to the Tail, of a bright yellow; it has likewise a mark of the same Colour between the Head and Back, pointing down a little behind the Eye. It is esteemed by the
Bahamians
a good eating Fish.
Fig.
19. The SCHOOLMASTER FISH, (so called by Mr.
Catesby,
but why, I know not) is a small Fish about eight Inches in length; tho' sometimes they grow to a Foot. The Head and Body is of a pale red Colour: Its Fins and Tail of a lovely gold Colour. It is remarkable this Fish has no Fins on the Shoulders, or Sides adjoining to the Gills, as usually found in most Fish; there are indeed some few others that want it likewise.
Since it is fall'n in my way in the above Description to make mention of Mr.
Catesby;
I'll take this Opportunity of making Acknowledgment, of the very great Assistance I have had from His
History of the Natural Rarities of
Carolina, Virginia,
&c.
to which incomparable Book I am indebted for most of my Fish; and to which I refer such curious Persons as desire a more ample and particular Account of the Animals and Vegetables of those Countries; it containing the most perfect Draught of the
Birds, Plants,
&c. as well as
Fish,
of any extant.
Fig: 19 School master Fish.
Fig: 20 Old-wife Fish
Fig.
20. The OLD-WIFE FISH (of which there are several Kinds) is commonly about ten Inches in length, and five in breadth: It has a rising sharp Back; the Belly flattish, three or four Fingers wide; from whence some have call'd it the
Triangular
Fish: It is cover'd with a hard crustacious Skin, of a brown Colour, without Scales, curiously mark'd all over with indented. Spots, large on the Sides, and smaller about the Head and Tail. It has a very small Mouth, with sharp Teeth, a large Eye plac'd high on the Head, of a remarkable Structure; two Nostrils or Vent-holes under the fore-part of the Eye; four Fins of a lighter brown than the Body, as is also the end of the Tail; the part of the Tail next the Body dark, long, slender, and which the Fish can, as it seems, draw
p to its Body at pleasure, as it were into a Socket. These kind are seen in passing the
Tropick,
where they swim in large Shoals; and likewise in other Parts of the
Indies:
They are a white, firm, and wholesome eating Fish. It is taken with a small Hook.
Fig.
21. Is the Male to the
Old Wife,
and therefore we call it the OLD-HUSBAND FISH. It answers to one of those Fish Mr.
Willughby
describes by the Name of
Piscis Triangularis Cornutus.
It is of a yellowish brown Colour like the Female, but more beautiful, finely mark'd all over the Body with large Marks, representing Stars, Marbling, and other curious Figures. It has two sharp Horns on the fore-part of its Head, growing from a thick Basis, about three quarters of an Inch in length, and tho' but slender yet very strong, with which it is capable of defending itself, and like a Bull, give dangerous Wounds to the Sides of its Enemy. His hinder part is likewise well guarded with two long strong Bones or Fins, like his Horns, one on each side of the Belly, near the Tail; and when closely chased, he draws up his Tail, and bids. Defiance with these Horns to his hungry Pursuer. It is said these Fish swim in Companies, with their Females, for their mutual Defence; and notwithstanding they frequent the Ocean, exposed to the large, the bold, and voracious Kind, yet the Male being so well fortify'd by Nature, both with Weapons of Defence and Courage to use them, few dare attack him. The Figures of both Male and Female were taken from the Fish themselves; sent me by Mrs.
Ann Tilly,
a young Lady who is fond of such kind of Curiosities.
Fig: 21. Old. Husband Fish.
Fig. 22. Yellow Fish
Fig.
22. The YELLOW FISH is a small beautiful Fish, commonly about nine Inches in length, though some are found twelve. The Head and Body is cover'd all over with small Scales of a yellow Colour, the Back somewhat darker than the Belly and Sides. It has five Fins, a long prickly one on the Back, two under the Belly, and one on each side behind the Gills: The Head is large, the Mouth wide, in the under Jaw a double row of small Teeth; in the upper are three large Teeth, with some very small ones within the Roof of the Mouth: It has a brisk lively Eye encircled with red.
Fig.
23. The NEGRO FISH is a small Fish, from six to ten Inches in length, and in shape not unlike a Pearch; the upper part of a dark brown Colour; the under somewhat lighter: The Head and Body is sprinkled thick all over with small bright sky-blue Spots. The Fins are of a reddish brown Colour: The Eye is encircled with a golden yellow: The Mouth wide, with a single row of sharp Teeth in each Jaw.
Fig.
24. The TANG in the shape of its Body is something like the
Bream;
about ten Inches in length, and about eight wide; though some are taken twice that bigness: The whole Fish is of a dark blue Colour: the Mouth of a very singular Form, as the Figure expresses, without Teeth. It has a large-prickly Fin on the Back, reaching from the Head almost to the Tail; two on the Belly, one large like that on the Back, and a long slender one towards the Head: The Tail is large, and spreads very wide, both sides shooting into sharp Points; and as it wants Teeth, Nature has supplied that Deficiency by arming the Tail on each side with a strong sharp-pointed Bone, which in defence of himself he extends when Danger approaches. This Weapon, with its prickly Fins, seem to deter the voracious Kind that prey on others, from attacking him. Yet I have seen (says Mr.
Catesby
) a
Barracuda
pursue and bite off a third part of him behind; which when he had swallowed, he deliberately bit off half the remaining part, and devoured the whole Fish at the third Mouthful. The
Tang
is accounted a good eating Fish.
Fig: 24. The Tang.
Fig: 25. Rock Fish
Fig.
25. The ROCK-FISH is usually found from twelve to eighteen Inches in length; yet they are sometimes caught two or three Feet in length. The Head, Back, and Fins on the Back and Belly, are of a dusky blue or lead Colour, the Belly lightish: The Fins behind the Gills are of lead Colour, yellow at the Ends. The Body is sprinkled all over with red Spots: It has a large Mouth, and a full Eye, of a lovely scarlet Colour. Mr.
Catesby
says, this Fish for its poisonous Quality, has the worst Character of any other among the
Bahama
Islands; but whether they are eatable from any particular Places he knew not; many of their poisonous Fishes being not so when taken in some Places; of which the Inhabitants can give a near guess, but sometimes they are miserably deceived.
Fig.
26. The HIND FISH is commonly about twelve or fourteen Inches in length, though some of them are found near twice that bigness. The whole Fish instead of Scales was cover'd with a thick▪ Skin variously coloured;
viz.
the Head of a muddy red, the Back of a dark reddish brown, the Side green, and Belly whitish with a Tincture of red▪ The whole sprinkled over thick with red Spots▪ The Fins on the Back, Belly, and Sides of a light brown; the Tail of a dark lead Colour, inclining to blue, striped and border'd with black. It has a large Mouth, with small Teeth; a full Eye, encircled with red and yellow mixed together: The Back o
this Fish is well guarded with strong sharp Fins, or Bones, set up like sharp-pointed Stakes. The
Hind-Fish
are plentiful in the shallow Seas of the
Bahama
Islands, and are accounted good Meat.
Fig. 26. Hind Fish
Fig: 27. The Shad
Fig.
27. The SHAD is of a light grey, with some of its Scales tinctured with purple. It has a small Mouth, without Teeth: But what is most remarkable in this Fish is, that the fore-part of the Head was of a cartilaginous Substance, the back-part strong and bony; which seems design'd for a Shield to secure the defenceless part, which he contracts under it when Danger approaches. It is esteemed a good eating well-tasted Fish.
Fig.
28. The SOLDIER is a kind of
Craw-Fish,
found in several of the
American
Isles, particularly in the Island of St.
Dominico
in the
West Indies,
where there are great Numbers. It is about three or four Inches in legnth, and so called, because he is clothed and armed with a foreign Shell. These Creatures go down sometimes to the Sea-Coast; but whether it is to wash, and to cast their Eggs, as the Land-Crabs do, is not known; but this is certain, that they go to change their Shells, which every one endeavours to find out according to his size: and finding what may fit'em, they run themselves backwards therein, and so cloath themselves anew: and being arm'd like Soldiers with these foreign Shells, they march up again to the Woods, and take up their Quarters among hollow Trees,
&c.
living upon rotten Leaves, Fruit,
&c.
where increasing in Bulk, and the Shell becoming too straight for them, they are obliged to go down to the Sea-Coasts to change their Houses again. The Curious, who have made Observations of what happens during this Exchange, have own'd, they took a great deal of Pleasure in the sight; for these Creatures stop at every Shell they meet with, consider it diligently, and having met with one they like, immediately quit the old one, and run themselves so swiftly backwards into the other, that one would think they were either afraid of the Injury of the cold Air, or asham'd to to be seen naked; and if two of them meet at the same time stripp'd, to enter into one and the same Shell, they will bite each other, and battle it, till such time as the weaker yields, and quits the Shell to the Conqueror; who having cloath'd himself with it, takes three or four turns upon the Shore, and if he finds it does not fit him, quits it again, and has immediate recourse to his old one, and then seeks out for another; and thus they will change five or six times, till they meet with one for their Purpose. They carry in their Shells about half a Spoonful of clear Water, which is a sovereign Remedy against the Pustles and Blisters that the wet which drops from the
Manchineel
Tree raises upon the Skin.
Fig. 28. Ther Soldier
Caterpillar Fig: 1.
Fig: 2.
BOOK the Fourth.
Of INSECTS.
Fig.
1. I S a curious CATERPILLAR; the Body of an uncommon Structure, being exactly four-square; and of a dark green Colour, mark'd with yellow and red: The Edge of every Square was furnished with little round Heads or Balls, standing at an equal distance, one on the top of each Joint or Partition, all of them full of Hair, and of a fine scarlet Colour. Its Feet, and little Claws, were wrapped in a thin transparent Skin, as was also the covering of the Belly; that as it crawled no Feet were seen; but by means of this little Skin, the
Caterpillar
sticks fast to any thing like a Snail. It was found crawling on a Leaf of the
Battattes:
on the 22d of
July
it made itself a Web, of an oker Colour; from whence on the 23d of
August,
that beautiful FLYING INSECT,
Figure
2. was produced.
Fig.
2. The upper part of the Body of this Insect was black, finely mark'd with a golden yellow; the Head, and part of the Wings before black, vein'd with gold; the outer part of a yellowish brown: The under Wings of a lovely rose Colour; the Legs and under part of the Body were black. These Insects, and some of the following ones, are found in the
Indies;
described by
Merian.
Fig.
3. Is an INDIAN Insect of the CHA
ER Kind; very common to be met with upon the P
egranate Tree; of a heavy and sluggish Nature and therefore easily catch'd. It is furnish'd with a long Tube or Trunk, under its Nose; which it very dextrously fixeth in the sweet Flowers to suck the Honey out, thro' the same. When it prepares itself for its Transformation, it lies motionless for a considerable time, till at length the Skin on its Back breaking of its own accord, there comes forth the FLYING INSECT,
Figure
4. the Wings of which are transparent, of a pale rose Colour, streaked and veined with scarlet, and border'd all round with a pale yellow: But what is remarkable, it preserves the same Trunk, or Body, which the foregoing
Chafer
has, from whence it is produced; leaving its old Skin or Shell, in Situation, Shape and Colour, resembling the primitive Insect; which Colour was of a deep green. These
Flies
are very frequently found about
Surinam;
they are very swift in flying, insomuch that
Merian.
says, she spent several Hours in catching one only. This Fly makes a sound like an Harp, to be perceived at a distance by its Singing; for which reason it is called
Lyricen,
and by the Dutch
Lierman.
From these kind of Flies, (as the
Indians
say) are produced the famous Fly called the
Lantern-Bearer.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig: 6.
Fig: 7.
Fig: 8.
Fig: 5.
Fig: 9.
Fig.
5, and 6. Are the Male and Female
Moth-Flies,
from whence the
Silk-Worm
is produced, which are hatch'd from an Egg of the bigness of a Mustard-seed. The SILK-WORM,
Fig.
7. is of a pale cream-colour inclining to white. During this Form it constantly undergoes four Sicknesses, each lasting about three Days, wherein it feeds not at all, but grows thicker, shorter and clearer, and at each Sickness changes its Skin. It after changes from that of a Worm to an
Aurelia
or
Chrysalis, Fig.
8. whereunto it is transformed after its spinning time; in which State it lies shut up in hot Countries for fourteen or fifteen Days, in more temperate ones eighteen or twenty Days, without any Food known to us: during which time this Insect leaves two Skins, both that of a Worm when it is changed into an
Aurelia,
and that of an
Aurelia
when it becomes a
Moth
in its Silk-case. Its last Transformation is from an
Aurelia
to a
Moth,
which eats its way out thro' the sharp end of the Case,
Fig.
9. by a Hole just big enough to creep thro'. This last Change into a Moth-Fly is the Perfection of this Insect. In this State the Male and Female couple, and soon after die; the Female having first laid her Eggs, which are of a pale yellow Colour, but in a few Days change into a dark grey or liver Colour. And, what is wonderful, these Eggs are kept ten Months in the Year as a dead thing, taking Life again in their Season. The first
Silk-worms
that were brought into
Europe
was in the time of
Justinian
the Emperor, who began his Reign
A. D.
526. till then the
Europeans
were so ignorant as to the Knowledge of the Production of Silk, that they imagin'd it grew on the tops of Trees, as Cotton; and was in all those Western Parts for a long time very dear, being weight for weight of equal Value with Gold, a Pound of one costing a Pound of the other.
Persia
was the only Place which the
Europeans
frequented, for the sake of their Silk: and it is certain that the
Persians
took care, for many hundred Years, to keep their Silk-Manufactures to themselves, not permitting the
Silk-Worms
to be carried out of
Persia,
or any Persons to pass from thence into the West, who were skilled in managing them.
Justinian
looking on it as a great Hardship, that the Subjects of his Empire should buy this Manufacture of the
Persians
at so dear a Rate, in order to put an end to this Imposition, sent two Monks into
India,
(understanding that there was plenty of Silk in those Parts) to learn there how the silken Trade was managed; and on their Return to bring with them (if it was possible to be procured) some of the Species, whether Vegetable or Animal, from which the Silk was produced; that so he might set up the Manufacture in his own Dominions. These Monks, when they returned, told the Emperor, That the Silk was produced by a living Creature, a Worm, which could not be brought so long a Journey alive. But understanding from them that its Eggs might be brought; from which the Creatures might be propagated; He sent them back a second time, to bring him of those Eggs: Who having effected what they went about, brought to
Constantinople
great Quantities, which they presented to the Emperor in great State on Horseback, (accompany'd by many of his Nobles, Senators and Magistrates) enclos'd in a Roll or Horn of Paper, with Instructions how to breed, nourish, and draw Silk from the said Creatures: which was received with great Applause and Admiration; and from those Eggs have been propagated all the
Silk-Worms,
and their Silk in
Europe.
At the Season of the Year for hatching the
Silk-Worms
Eggs, which, as observed, is about the beginning of
May,
provide some Sheets of fine white Cap-Paper; each of these Sheets make into the form of a Dripping-Pan, by turning up the edges of the Paper about an Inch and half on every side: in these Paper Pans put the
Silk-worms
Eggs, placing them in a Chamber-Window, where the Sun shines powerfully upon them, and securing them from Cats, Birds,
&c.
there leave them Day and Night to hatch of themselves; and when you perceive the Worms begin to come out of their Eggs, give them young Mulberry-Leaves, or for want of them, the Leaves of Lettuce, till they can have Mulberry-Leaves; and then keep them constantly to that Diet: After this manner, in these Paper Troughs or Pans feed them till their Spinning-time, taking care to clean them as often as Occasion requires; and if you are minded to remove the Worms to other Paper Troughs, that they may lie thinner and cooler, give them a few fresh Leaves, and the Worms will come presently upon them: These Leaves remove with the Worms; but if they are grown large, take them gently in your Hands, and put them into other Troughs. When the Worms have fed their full time, and are ready to spin their Silk, roll up white Paper like a Wafer, these pin up against the Hangings of a Room, or to Lines tied cross the Room; in these Papers put every single Worm, as you perceive it wants to spin, which it will begin to do generally as soon as it is put into the Paper. When the Worm has finished its Case, and changed into an
Aurelia,
which is known by hearing it rattle, when it is shaken at the Ear. Then proceed to wind off the Silk, never suffering the Moth-Fly to eat its way out of the Case, not even of those that are designed to propagate Seed for the next Year. A Gentleman very curious in his Observations and Experiments upon the
Silk-Worm,
his Method in winding off the Silk is, as soon as the Worms have finished their Bottoms, and changed into
Aurelias,
to put the Bottoms into warm Water, with some Spirit of Wine in it, which he says facilitates the winding off the Silk very much; the Ends he finds more readily, and winds them on a Card in his Hand, without any Reel or Machine at all: And as the Silk-Bottoms are wound off, he takes the
Aurelia
of each, and places them in one of those clean Paper-Pans, erect upon the piqued end; and when its time is accomplished, to enter upon its last Transformation of a Moth-Fly, it will assume its new State, as well as if it had continued the whole time in its Silk-Case; and this Method is practised by divers other Persons, who wind off the Silk after the same manner. When the Silk-Moths are come out of their Cases, being perfectly transformed, and are put into such Paper Dripping-Pans, or Troughs, as they are bred in, there they will couple and lay their Eggs: When that is over, the Papers with the Eggs upon them (never attempt to take the Eggs off) are to be put into a Chest or Trunk one upon another, among wollen Cloths; and without any other Art or Means, there let them remain till the next Spring. Some Ladies who keep
Silk-Worms,
besides the Pleasure they take in feeding and observing these wonderful Creatures, make use of the Silk-Case, which they cut (after the outer Sleave or Down is off) into artificial Flowers to wear in their Heads, which they themselves paint and colour, to imitate Nature.
Butterfly Fig. 10.
Fig: 11.
Fig. 13.
Fig. 12.
Fig. 14.
Fig. 15
Fig.
12. Is a curious Insect of the BEETLE or CHAFER Kind: Its Back was black, with a yellow mark cross the middle, in the form of a Halfmoon: The upper part of the Wings, the Horns, Feelers, and two Joints of the Legs next the Body, were all of a fine crimson Colour; the ends of its Legs of a pale yellow; the Body under the Wings of a bright yellow. This Insect turns its Horns back over its Body, the points of which meet and make a kind of Circle. It was produced from the Worm or Maggot,
Fig.
13. which was found feeding on the
Carduus,
or Thistle, growing in the Fields of
Surinam.
Fig.
14. The great black BEETLE, or CHAFER, is produc'd from the Worm
Fig.
15. called in
Dutch
the
Palmyt-Worm,
because it gets its Food in the
Palmer Tree.
The Worms are generated in the Trunk of this Tree in great abundance, which feed on the Pith of it; they are a little bigger than Mites in Cheese, at first, but at last grow to the bigness of the Figure represented in the Plate. The
Indians
lay these Worms on the Fire, and when roasted eat them very greedily, and think them a delicious Food.
Fig.
16. This Insect was produc'd from a
Caterpillar
of a bright red, and white Colour; with a black Spot on the last Crease or Partition of its Body; the middle of which was remarkable for its little white Skin, shining like Crystal; which as often as the Insect fetch'd Breath, did alternately rise and fall again. On the 26th of
August,
one of these, according to the usual Metamorphosis of
Caterpillars,
became the
Aurelia, Fig.
17. on a Vine-Leaf, prettily twisted and folded up; and on the 15th Day of
September,
that beautiful Autumnal Fly (
Fig.
16) came from it, of a green Colour, with six white Spots on the upper part of its Body, and two on each side toward the Tail. The under Wings were finely painted with a curious sky and red Colour, with a broad Border of pale yellow. This Insect is furnish'd with a very long, and remarkable
Proboscis,
or Trunk, with which it sucks the Juice of the Grape, and very dextrously fastens it in each Bunch; which is the Food it most delights in, as does the
Caterpillar
in the Leaf of the Vine.
Fig. 16.
Chirelia Fig. 17.
Fig. 19.
Fig. 18.
Fig.
18. This Worm, or
Caterpillar
was found crawling on the Root of the white
Battattes;
a Fruit of the Earth growing naturally about
Surinam,
which notwithstanding are not eat: It produces a fine white Flower. By digging in a Garden in the Month of
April,
some of these
Caterpillars
were discover'd lying at the Root of a
Battattes,
wrapp'd up in a narrow Compass: One of these had just put on the form of a beautiful
Chaser;
others were less changed, but approaching to the same. All as yet were manifestly soft, and whitish; but in a few Hours after growing hard, they were all gradually changed into such a kind of painted
Chafer
as is here represented
Fig.
19. flying, which was of a deep green, a crimson, with Stripes of yellow,
&c.
The Wings of which appear'd in Colour much like unto a beautiful Tulip, variegated with curious Colours.
Fig.
20. This Insect, called in Dutch
hel Wardelende Blad,
as being a sort of Locust; though
Merian
calls it a
Glo-worm;
is bred from an Egg, which after natural Conjunction the Female lays in that place, in which afterwards the young Creatures to be produced can get their Food at hand; (a provident Instinct implanted in the Parents of most, if not all Insects.) First these little Creatures become
Worms,
or
Caterpillars;
which feeding grow and increase; and when come to a complete bigness, they spin their Webs, and are transformed into
Aurelia's:
some of which want a shorter, some a longer time to attain their full vigor: All of which at last come out of their Shells, and break forth moist, and their Wings very much twisted; but sometimes their Wings grow dry, and are expanded in less than half an Hour, after they have stirr'd and shaken themselves a little: so that they appear in every respect perfect as represented in the Figure: which being thus chang'd, seem ten times larger than the
Aurelia's
in which they were just now shut up.
Fig: 20.
Fig: 21.
Fig. 24.
Fig. 22.
Fig. 23.
Fig.
22. The COCK-ROCH, or as
Merian
calls them the
Kakkerlacae,
are the most remarkable of all Infects in
America;
because they every where do the Inhabitants the greatest Damage, by destroying their Wollen and Linnen, and spoiling their Victuals and Drink: All manner of sweet things are their beloved Food; for which reason they are much delighted with the
Ananas,
or Pine-Apple, which for the richness of its Flavour, is justly call'd the
King
of Fruits. These Insects lay their Eggs up in Heaps, which they wrap all round in a Bag, or Web, after the manner of some Spiders: When their little Eggs are hatch'd, and the young ones quite perfect, they break their Egg-shells with gnawing; and the little Creatures run out with prodigious nimbleness: and as they are no bigger when first hatch'd than Ants, they creep thro' Cracks and Key-holes, into Boxes, Chests,
&c.
with all the ease imaginable, where they gnaw and spoil all they can come at: till at last they grow to the bigness of the Figure 23. in the Plate, of a reddish brown Colour, mark'd with white: having two very long Horns; six hairy Legs, with two sharp Claws at their ends, like Forks: the Head black, with a reddish Circle round the upper part. When the Creature is arrived to this bigness, or full Growth; it sheds or casts its Skin; which Skin bursting on its Back, comes forth the
Cock-roch,
Figure 24. which is the Insect in its perfect State; with Wings sost and tender, at first whitish, after of a reddish Colour: The Head, Horns, legs,
&c.
both in shape and colour the same as before the Insect cast its Skin. Its Shell or cast Skin remaining, preserv'd its primitive Form of an Insect.
Fig.
25. Is a large SPIDER seizing on the Humming-Bird. Of these kind of Spiders,
Merian
tells us, she found many on the
Guajava
Tree, in which they make Nests, representing a
Caterpillar
's Web: Their Bodies are cover'd all over with Hair: they are besides furnished with sharp-pointed Teeth, with which they give dangerous Wounds; infusing some liquid Matter from them at the same time.
Pismires
are their common Food; in scarcity of which they take the young Birds out of their Nests, and suck all the Blood out of their little Bodies. The
Humming-Bird
that this
Spider
preys on, is thought to be the least of all Birds; the Body, together with the Feathers, is scarce equal in bigness to a
Spanish
Olive: They are very richly beautified with various Colours, wonderfully resplendent, being finer than the very Peacock himself,-(see Page 19.) It makes its Nest in the Boughs of Trees, of the bigness of an
Holland
Schilling; and lays very white Eggs, two for the most part, of an oval Figure, not bigger than Pease. These Birds fly very swiftly, and suck Honey from the sweet Flowers with their Wings expanded; that they hang in the Air as it were motionless. In flying this little Bird makes a Noise like a Hornet, or Bee; hence it took its Name in
English,
of
Humming-Bird. Merian
says, she was told these Birds are the Food of the Priests of
Surinam,
who are forbid to eat any other Meat. Those kind of large
Spiders, (Fig. 25.)
shed their Coats now and then, just as Caterpillars do, but are not observ'd to change into the flying Kind.
Fig. 26. A Large Spider seizing on the Humming Bird
Fig. 31.
Fig. 26.
29.
30.
28.
27.
Fig.
26. This small
Spider
was of a scarlet Colour: It was found in a
Wood
at the beginning of
June.
They are likewise found in
Gardens
on the Bodies of Trees; but are something smaller than those found in the Woods. These
Spiders
are accounted venomous; and are the only Species of the Spider Kind that are accounted so, excepting the
Tarantula;
Spiders being more frightful than prejudicial to Mankind: This Spider, and all the rest describ'd in this Book, are drawn from the Life, and are of the natural bigness of the Spiders themselves.
Fig.
27. Is a
Spider
very remarkable for its Legs and Feelers; each Joint of the former appears as if it were plac'd in a Socket; the latter were globular and hairy; and on the outer side of each, there was a bright knob of white, incircled with yellow, which made it look as if a little Stone had been set therein. It had eight Eyes, standing as they are placed over the
Spider
in the Plate. This is a Male Spider, and was taken in a House in the Month of
April:
Its Colour was black where the Eyes stood; the other part adjoining to the Belly was of a reddish chesnut; the upper side of the Belly of a yellowish dark ash Colour; and the Legs of a reddish Colour.
Fig.
28. Is one of the
Six-ey'd Spiders:
It was taken in a Wood in the Month of
April.
It was of a dark Colour, with a broad Streak of light hair Colour in the middle of its Back; and a mark of the same light Colour, in the form of a Diamond, on the upper part of its Belly: The Legs were finely spotted. One of these Spiders was taken at the beginning of
June,
with its Egg-bag under its Belly.
Fig.
29. The small
Long-legg'd Spider
was so finely mark'd, that it is impossible to describe it, either in Words or Colours; there being so fine a Mixture of green, red, and black interchangeably put together in pretty Shapes; the Legs were also curiously mark'd in the same manner: The Eyes were so small as not to be discerned. It was taken on the Body-of a Tree in
Cane-Wood,
about the middle of
April.
Fig.
30. Is one of the
House-Spiders:
It had eight Eyes. Its Legs were finely spotted with black, and from each Joint grew certain Hairs or Bristles: Its Feelers were long and slender. The thick Web of this, and all the
House-Spiders,
may be made use of, in the Cure of all
Intermittent
Fevers.
Fig.
31. Is one of the
Jumping-Spiders:
It had eight Eyes placed in a circular form, as over the Head of the Spider in the Plate; and it is observable that all the Spiders that have their Eyes standing in that form, catch their Prey by jumping on it, like a Cat at a Mouse. It is a Creature extreamly nimble in moving any way it pleases: 'twas taken in a Garden. If you look on it with a
Microscope,
it appears one of the most beautiful Spiders, that can possibly be seen; there is so great a Variety of Marbling, in pretty Figures of several Colours,
viz.
black, chesnut, red. dish, and white mix'd all over the Back, Belly, Legs and Feelers, as not to be expressed. It seems to the naked Eye to be a greyish speckled Spider, being all over rough and hairy. The late ingenious Dr.
Hooke,
in his
Micrography,
gives the following diverting Account of this particular Spider; as observ'd by the most accomplish'd Mr.
Evelyn,
in his Travels in
Italy.
Of all the sorts of Insects,
says he,
there is none has afforded me more Diversion than the small grey
Jumping-Spider,
prettily bespeck'd with black Spots all over the Body, which the Microscope discovers to be a kind of a Feathers like those on Butterflies Wings, or the Body of the white Moth. It is very nimble by Fits, sometimes running, and sometimes leaping, like a Grashopper, then standing still, and setting itself on its hinder Legs, will very nimbly turn its Body, and look round it self every way. Such, says Mr.
Evelin,
I did frequently observe at
Rome,
which espying a Fly at three or four Yards distance, upon the Balcony where I stood, would not make directly to her, but crawl under the Rail, till being arriv'd right under her, it would steal up, seldom missing its Aim: but if it chanced to want any thing of being perfectly opposite, would, at first Peep, immediately slide down again, till taking better notice, it would come the next time exactly upon the Fly's Back: but, if this happen'd not to be within a competent Leap, then would this Insect move so softly, as the very Shadow of the Dial seem'd not to be more imperceptible, unless the Fly mov'd; and then wou'd the Spider move also in the same proportion, keeping that just Time with her Motion, as if the same Soul had animated both those little Bodies; and whether it were forwards, backwards, or to either side, without at all turning her Body, like a well-managed Horse: But if the capricious Fly took wing, and pitch'd upon another Place behind our Huntress, then would the Spider whirle its Body so nimbly about, as nothing could be imagin'd more swift; by which means, she always kept the Head towards her Prey, tho' to appearance as immovable, as if it had been a Nail driven into the Wood, till by that indiscernible progress, being arriv'd within the Sphere of her reach, she made a fatal Leap (swift as Lightning) upon the Fly, catching him in the Pole, where she never quitted hold till her Belly was full, and then carried the Remainder home. I have beheld them instructing their young ones how to hunt, which they would sometimes discipline for not well observing; but when any of the old ones did miss a Leap, they would run out of the Field, and hide themselves in their Crannies, as asham'd, and not be seen abroad for four or five Hours after: for so long have I watched the Nature of of this strange Insect, the Contemplation of whose so wonderful Sagacity and Address has amaz'd me; nor do I find in any Chase whatsoever, more Cunning and Stratagem observ'd. I have found some of these Spiders in my Garden, when the Weather towards the Spring is very hot, but they are nothing so eager of Hunting as they are in
Italy.
The
Spider Fig.
32. was beautifully streaked, and speckled with black all over its Body and Legs. It had eight Eyes, standing as they are expressed over the Spider in the Plate: At the End of its Tail there were little short things like Feathers standing up, which it opened and shut like a Fan at pleasure. It was taken in a Chamber-Window, about the middle of
July.
Fig.
33. Was taken closed up in a Leaf, near to a Web it had made. It had eight Eyes: The Back and Legs of this Spider looked transparent, like clear Horn.
33 Spiders
34. Spiders
35 Spiders
32 Spiders
36 Spiders
The
Spider Fig.
34. was curiously and regularly mark'd with Lines and Spots of white; the Legs were yellowish and very hairy, and spotted with dark brown; the Feelers were also spotted. It had six Eyes placed as they are expressed in the Plate. It was found in a Garden, at the latter End of
July.
The
Spider Fig.
35. was of a Hair-colour, mark'd with a Spot and broad Line of yellow: The upper side of the Belly had a Mark in the shape of a Cross, of a yellow Colour: The Legs were of a light Haircolour spotted with black, having Bristles of the same Colour on the Joints. It had six Eyes standing as they are plac'd in the Plate. It was found in a Web in
Bishops-Wood,
at the Beginning of
September.
Fig.
36. The
Carter,
or
Long-legg'd Spider,
for two Particularities has very few Creatures like it; the first, which is discoverable only by the Microscope, is the curious Contrivance of his Eyes, of which he has only two, and those placed upon the top of a small Pillar or Hillock, rising out of the middle of the top of its Back, or rather the Crown of its Head; for they were fixed on the very top of this Pillar, placed back to back, with the transparent Parts, or Pupils, looking towards either side, but somewhat more forward than backwards. These Eyes, to appearance, seem'd to be of the very same Structure with that of larger two-ey'd Creatures, seeming to have a very smooth and very protuberant Cornea, and in the midst of it to have a very black Puple, incompassed about with a kind of grey
Iris.
Whether it were able to move these Eyes to and fro, I have not observ'd; but 'tis not very likely he should, the Pillar or Neck seeming to be cover'd and stiffen'd with a crusty Shell; but Nature, in all probability, has supply'd that Defect, by making the Cornea so very protuberant, and setting it so clear above the shadowing or obstructing of its Prospect by the Body, that 'tis likely each Eye may perceive, though not see distinctly, almost an Hemisphere; whence having so small and round a Body, placed upon such long Legs, it is quickly able so to wind, and turn it, as to see any thing distinct. This Creature, as do all other
Spiders,
differs very much from most Insects in the Figure of its Eyes; for the best Microscope does not discover its Eyes to be any ways knobb'd or pearl'd, like those of other Infects. The second Peculiarity which is obvious to the Eye, is also very remarkable, and that is the prodigious length of its Legs, in proportion to its small round Body, and which are jointed, just like those of a Crab, but every of the Parts are spun out prodigiously longer in proportion; each of these Legs are terminated in a small Case or Shell, shap'd almost like that of a Muscle-shell, fasten'd to the Body in so admirable a manner, as does not a little manifest the Wisdom of Nature in the Contrivance; for these long Leavers (as I may so call them) of the Legs, having not the advantage of a long end on the other side of the
Hypomochlion,
or Centers, on which part of the Legs move, must necessarily require a vast Strength to move them, and keep the Body balanc'd and suspended, insomuch, that if we should suppose a Man's Body suspended by such a Contrivance, an hundred and fifty times the strength of a Man would not keep the Body from falling on the Breast. To supply therefore each of these Legs with its proper strength, Nature has allow'd to each a large Chest or Cell, in which is included a very large and strong Muscle; and thereby this little Animal is not only able to suspend its Body upon less than these eight, but to move it very swiftly over the tops of Grass and Leaves. This Creature seems to throw its Body upon the Prey, not unlike a Jumping-Spider. The whole Fabrick, when view'd by the Microscope, appear'd a very pretty one; and could it have been dissected, as many Singularities might have been found within it as without; perhaps, for the most part, not unlike the Parts of a Crab, which this little Creature does in many things very much resemble. I omit the Description of the Horns, of the Mouth which seem'd like that of a Crabs; the Speckledness of his Shell, which proceeded from a kind of Feathers, or Hairs, and the hairiness of his Legs, his large Thorax and little Belly, and the like, and shall only take notice, that the three Parts of the Body, namely the Head, Breast and Belly, are in this Creature strangely confus'd, so that 'tis difficult to determine which is which, as they are also in a Crab; and indeed, this seems to be nothing else but an
Air-Crab,
being made more light and nimble, proportionable to the Medium wherein it resides; and as Air seems to have but one thousandth part of the Body of Water, so does this Spider seem not to be a thousandth part of the Bulk of a Crab.
All kinds of
Spiders
seem to be Creatures of Prey, and to feed on other small Infects; but their ways of catching them are very different: The
Shepherd Spider
by running on his Prey; the
Jumping Spider
by leaping on it, other sorts weave Nets, or Cobwebs, whereby they insnare them; Nature having both fitted them with Materials and Tools, and taught them how to work and weave their Nets, and lie perdue, and to watch diligently to run on a Fly as soon as entangled.
The
Foot of a Spider
is of an admirable and wonderful Mechanism, whereby he is able to spin, weave, and climb, or run on his curious transparent Clue. Mr.
Albin,
in his
Natural History of Spiders,
just published, has collected near
Two Hundred
different sorts of these Infects. Their Thread or Web seems to be spun out of some viscous kind of Excrement, lying in their Belly; which, tho' soft when drawn out, is presently, by reason of its smallness, harden'd and dried by the ambient Air.
Of the
TARANTULA.
Fig.
37. IS the TARANTULA from
Baglivi; Fig.
38. from the Natural
Spider
in Sir
Hans Sloan
's Collection. This Infect is a Spider of
Apulia
in
Italy,
of the eight-ey'd Kind, and spins Webs: It has eight Legs, four on each side, and in each Leg three Joints; from the Mouth proceed two Darts, in shape just like to a Crab's Claws; these are solid, and very sharp, so that they can easily pierce the Skin; and between those and the fore Legs there are two little Horns, or Feelers; which it is observed to move very briskly when it approaches to its Prey.
Tarantula Fig. 37.
Tarantula Fig: 38.
During this mournful Scene, all the usual Medicines apply'd to venomous Bites, and Cordials, are of no service; for, notwithstanding their repeated use, the Patient growing by degrees more melancholy, stupid, and strangely timorous, in a short time expires; unless Musick be called to his assistance, which alone, without the help of Medicine, performs the Cure. For, at the first Sound of the Musical Instrument, altho' the Sick lie, as it were, in an Apoplectick Fit, they begin by degrees to move their Hands and Feet, till at last they get up, and fall to dancing with wonderful Vigour, at first for three or four Hours; then they are put to Bed, refreshed from their Sweating, for a short time, and repeat the Exercise with the same Vehemence, perceiving no Weariness or Weakness from it, but professing they grow stronger and nimbler the more they dance.
At this sport they usually spend twelve Hours a Day, and it continues three or four Days; by which time they are generally freed from all their Symptoms, which do nevertheless attack 'em again about the same time the next Year; and if they do not take care to prevent this Relapse by Musick, they fall into a Jaundice, want of Appetite, universal Weakness, and such like Diseases; which are every Year increased, if Dancing be neglected, till at last they prove incurable. As Musick is the common Cure, so they who are bitten are pleas'd, some with one sort of it, some with another; one is rais'd with a Pipe, another with a Timbrel; one with a Harp, another with a Fiddle; so that the Musicians make sometimes several Essays before they can accommodate their Art to the Venom; but this is constant and certain, notwithstanding this Variety, that they all require the quickest and briskest Tunes, and are never moved by a slow, dull Harmony.
While the Persons affected are Dancing, they lose in a manner the use of all their Senses; like so many Drunkards, do many ridiculous and foolish Tricks; talk and act obscenely and rudely; take great Pleasure in playing with Vine-Leaves, with naked Swords, and red Cloths, and the like; and on the other hand can't bear the sight of any thing black; so that if any By-stander happen to appear in that Colour, he must immediately withdraw, or otherwise they Relapse into their Symptoms with as much Violence as ever.
Fig. 41. American Ants
Fig: 40. Wood Ant Magnified
It may afford some Light towards understanding the Nature of this Poison, to observe that
Apulia
is the hottest Part of all
Italy,
lying Eastward, and having all the Summer long but very little Rain to temper the Heats; so that the Inhabitants, as one of that Country observes, do breathe an Air, as it were, out of a fiery Furnace: Hence their Temperament is dry, and adust, as appears by their being generally lean, passionate, impatient, ready to Action, quickwitted, very subject to inflammatory Distempers, Phrensies, Melancholy, and the like; upon which account there are more mad People in this, than in all the other Parts of
Italy.
As to the return of the Symptoms the next Year, that is owing to the same excessive Heat in those Months, acting again upon the small Remains of the venomous Ferment.
Fig.
39. IS the
Large
WOOD-ANT;
Fig.
40. the same Magnified;
Fig.
41. the
American Ants,
as described by
Merian,
seizing on a Cockroch. This little Animal is that great Pattern of Industry and Frugality that
Solomon
sends the Sluggard to, that he may learn by the Example of the
Ant;
who borrows of none, and yet is not in danger to starve; laying up in store, by a notable Diligence, sufficient Provision in due Season against a time of Need. Dr.
Hooke,
in his
Micrography,
has some pretty Observations on this little Creature. The
Ant, says he,
is of a dark brown, or reddish Colour, with long Legs, on the hinder of which it would stand up, and raise its Head as high as it could above the Ground, that it might stare the further about it, just after the same manner as the
Hunting-Spider
is observ'd to do: and putting my Finger towards them, they have at first all run towards it, till almost at it; and then they would stand round about it, at a certain distance, and smell, as it were, and consider whether they should any of them venture any further; till one more bold than the rest venturing to climb it, all the rest, if I would have suffered them, would have immediately followed: Many such other seemingly rational Actions I have observ'd in this little Vermin, with much Pleasure. I have observ'd a very large Kind, that inhabited under the Roots of a Tree, from whence they would sally out in great Parties, and make most grievous Havock of the Flowers and Fruits, in the ambient Garden, and return back again very expertly, by the same Ways and Paths they went. It has a large Head, at the upper end of which were two protuberant Eyes, pear
d like those of a Fly, but smaller: Out of the Nose, or foremost Part, issued two Horns, differing from those of a blue Fly, though indeed they seem to be both the same kind of Organ, and to serve for a kind of Smelling: Beyond these were two indented Jaws, which he open'd sideways, and was able to gape them asunder very wide; and the ends of them being armed with Teeth, which meeting went between each other, it was able to grasp and hold an heavy Body, three or four times the Bulk and Weight of its own Body. It has only six Legs, shap'd like those of a Fly, which is an Argument that it is a winged Infect; and though I could not perceive any sign of them in the middle part of its Body, which seem'd to consist of three Joints or Pieces; yet 'tis known that there are of them that have long Wings, and fly up and down in the Air. The whole Body was cas'd over with a very strong Armour, and the Belly was covered likewise with Multitudes of small white shining Bristles; the Legs, Horns, Head, and middle Parts of its Body were bestuck with Hairs also, but smaller and darker. In
America,
as
Merian
writes, there are very large
Ants
or
Pismires,
which will in one Night strip whole Trees of their Leaves. They have two crooked Teeth, cutting one upon another, like a Pair of Pincers; by means of these, they cut the Leaves of the Trees so that they fall to the Ground, and the Tree looks bare and naked; just as it looks in the Winter in
Europe:
Thousands of
Ants
waising for this Booty, catch up the Leaf as it falls on the Earth, to carry to their Homes; not so much for their own Food as their young ones, as yet but little Worms. This whole Proceeding seems, as if it were, done by a mutual Agreement amongst themselves; that one Party should go up in the Tree to cut the Leaves, whilst the other bears an equal share of the Labour in carrying them to their Cells. These
Ants,
when they are arriv'd to their full Growth, shed their Coats, or Skins, in like manner as do some other of the Insect Kind; and become winged: In this state they lay their Eggs just as the Gnats do; which are afterwards hatch'd into little Worms, or Mites; and for the Preservation of this their Offspring it is, that the provident
Ants
are so eager and vigilant to feed and nourish them: So great is their Concern in this particular, as appears by their indefatigable Toil, that they may very justly be esteem'd as great Patterns of Tenderness and Care of their Young, as they are for Industry and good Economy. These industrious little Creatures make Caverns in the Earth of a great Depth, so artificially contriv'd, that one would affirm it to be a piece of Man's Ingenuity. These
Ants,
they say, have a perpetual Enmity with the Spiders, and all other Infects of that Country, in the
West-Indies,
where they are found. When they fally out of their Caverns, which they do once a Year, an innumerable Multitude of them comes forth, which enter Peoples Houses, range from one Room to another; and kill divers small Creatures they meet with, by sucking them to Death; that large Spider,
Page
62. was destroy'd by this means in a Moment almost; it was beset with such Heaps of 'em, that it cou'd not disengage, and free itself from Danger; 'tis said, that even Men themselves must fly for it, they make their way so in Troops from one Room to another; and having ransack'd, and as it were swept the whole House, they make to the next; till at last, they go back again to their Holes.
Fig. 43. Blue Fly
42
Fig. 44. Book-worm
Fig.
44. Is the small silver-colour'd BOOK-WORM, Magnified. As among greater Animals there are many that are scaled, both for Ornament and Defence, so are there not wanting such also among the lesser Bodies of Insects, whereof this little Creature gives us an Instance. It is a small white silvershining Worm or Moth, found much conversant among Books and Papers; and is suppos'd to be that which corrodes and eats Holes through the Leaves and Covers: It appears to the naked Eya, a small glittering Pearl-colour'd Moth, which upon the removing of Books and Papers in the Summer, is often observ'd to scud, and pack away to some lurking Cranney, where it may the better protect itself from any appearing Dangers. Its Head appears big and blunt, and its Body tapers from it towards the Tail, smaller and smaller, being shap'd almost like a Carrot. The Body is divided into fourteen several Partitions, being the appearance of so many several Shells, or Shields that cover the whole Body; every of these Shells are again covered or tiled over with a multitude of thin transparent Scales, which, from the multiplicity of their reflecting Surfaces, make the whole Animal appear of a perfect Pearl-colour. This Insect was furnish'd on either side of its Head with a Cluster of Eyes; and each of these Clusters were beset with a row of small Bristles, much like the
Cilia
or Hairs on the Eye-lids; and, perhaps, they serv'd for the same purpose. It had two long Horns; curiously ring'd or knobb'd, having at each knob small Hairs, or Bristles, here and there dispers'd among them: besides these, it had two shorter Horns, or Feelers, which were knotted and fring'd, just as the former. It had three Tails, in every particular resembling the two longer Horns that grow out of the Head. The Legs of it were scal'd and hair'd just like the rest, but are not express'd in this Figure, the Creature being intangled all in Glue, and so the Legs of this appear'd not through the Glass, which looked perpendicularly upon the Back. The Body is beset with sharp-pointed Bristles, like Spears. Dr.
Hooke
says, This Animal probably seeds upon the Paper and Covers of Books, and perforates in them several small round Holes. Mr.
Albin
calls it the
Cloth Worm,
or Moth, and says it is the very Creature that eats the woollen Cloth; and that it is produced from a small grey speckled Moth that flies a-nights, and creeps in among woollen Cloths, and there lays her Eggs, which are hatch'd in their Season by the natural Heat of the Woollen; upon which these little Creatures feed, till they change into a flying Insect like their Animal Parent. To prevent the Havock that this little Creature (which is one of the Teeth of Time) is wont to make among woollen Cloths,
&c.
They should sometimes be air'd and brush'd, before the warm Season comes on for the Eggs to hatch, which will absolutely destroy the Eggs, and preserve the Garments.
Fig. 45. Book-spider
Fig.
45. Is the
Crab-like Insect,
or BOOK-SPIDER. Reading one Day in
September,
I chanced to observe a very small Creature creep over the Book I was reading, very slowly; having a Microscope by me, I observ'd it to be a Creature of a very unusual Form, and that not less notable, as the Figure represents. Its natural bigness was about the size of a large Mite, or somewhat longer; it had ten Legs, eight of which were topt with very sharp Claws, and were those upon which he walk'd, seeming shap'd much like those of a Crab, which in many other things also this little Creature resembled; for the two other Claws, which were the foremost of all the ten, were exactly form'd in the manner of Crabs or Lobsters Claws; which this little Animal did open and shut at pleasure: It seem'd to make use of those two Claws both for Feelers and Holders; for in its motion it carried these aloft extended before, moving them to and fro, just as a man blindfolded would do his Hands, when he is fearful of running against a Wall; and if I put an Hair to it, it would readily take hold of it with these Claws, and seem to hold it fast. The whole Body was cased over with Armour-shells, as is usual in all those Kinds of
crustaceous
Creatures, especially about their Bellies, and seem'd of three kinds; the Head seem'd cover'd with a kind of scaly Shell, the Thorax with two smooth Shells, or Rings; and the Belly with eight knobb'd ones. I could not certainly find, whether it had under these last Shells any Wings, but I suspect the contrary; for I have not found any wing'd Infect with eight Legs, two of those Legs being always converted into Wings; and, for the most part, those that have but six, have Wings. This Creature, though I could never meet with more than one of them, and so could not make so many Examinations of it as otherwise I would, I did notwithstanding, by reason of the great Curiosity that appear'd to me in its shape, delineate it, to shew that, in all like-lihood, Nature had crowded together into this very minute Infect, as many, and as excellent Contrivances, as into the Body of a very large Crab, which exceeds it in Bulk, perhaps, some Millions of times: It being a general Rule in Nature's Proceedings, that where she begins to display any Excellency, if the Subject be further search'd into, it will manifest, that there is not less Curiosity in those Parts which our single Eye cannot reach, than in those which are more obvious. [
Hooke
's
Microgr.
]
Fig. 47 Corn Beetle magnified
Fig. 46 Wevil, or Corn Beetle
Fig: 48. American Frog
Fig: 49. Water Beetle
Fig.
48. Of these kind of FROGS,
Meriana
says, she saw several swimming in the Water at
Surinam.
Their Feet was furnish'd with a little Ball at the end of each Toe, by the singular Contrivance of Nature; that being so supported, they could not only swim, but also walk over the marshy and muddy Waters: They are of a brown, and pale green Colour intermixed together, as if they were water'd with it. These
Frogs
leave their Spawn on the Banks of the Waters; where such Persons as are curious to observe the Change of these Creatures, gather it, and lay it in an earthen Vessel filled with Water, upon a green Turf, at the bottom: The Spawn or Seed appears as a blackish Point, inclosed in a kind of white Glue; in which it lives, and by degrees increases its Motion, till about the eighth Day; after that they have Tails, and the little things begin to swim in the Water, but they and shapeless young
Frogs':
In a few Days more their Eyes appear, and a little after thier two hind Feet; the two fore Feet likewise coming out of the Skin in about eight Days more: After which their Tails being rotted, drop off; and the Cremures become four-footed, and compleat
Frogs,
often seen scampering out of the Waters on the Land. But we must obsverve, that both the Water, and the Turf that the Spawn is put into, must be shifted every now and then; and the little Creatures, as soon as ever we perceive them to move, ought to be nourish'd in the Water with a bit of Bread.
Fig
49. Is a Water Insect that preys upon young Frogs, which the Inhabitants of
Surinam,
where it is found, call a WATER SCROPION: It seems to be rather to the Beetle kind; in the Month of
May
it changes to a flying Infect.
Having had occassion to make mention of
Surinam,
in some of the Descriptions of
Infects;
It may not be improper to infrom the Reader, that
Surinam
is a
Dutch
Settlement in
Guiana,
upon the Contient of
America.
It first belonged to the
French,
who built a Fort there; from them the
English
took it; and afterwards the
Dutch
took it from the
English;
in whose Hands it now remains. Madam
Meriana,
a Gentlewoman of the
Dutch
National, (if I am rightly inform'd) publish'd a
Natural History,
with curious Figures, of the Insects,
&c.
found in and about
Surinam,
from which Book the
Indian Flies
contain'd in this Treatise are copied.
A Branch of the Coffee Tree
BOOK the Fifth. Of
PLANTS, FRUITS,
and
FLOWERS.
Thy Plants are an Orchard of Pomegranates, with pleasant Fruits, Camphire, with Spikenard: Spikenard and Saffron, Calanius and Cinnamon, with all Trees of Frankincense, Myrrhe and Atoes, with all the chief Spices.
SLOMON'S Song, IV. 13, 14.
C OFFEE is the Fruit of a Tree which grows in
Arabia Fleix,
and is brough to us from
Mocha.
The Flower of this Tree is like the white Jesfamine Flower, and the Leaf like the Bay-leaf: The
Coffee
Tree is propagated by Seeds, which shou'd be sown soon after they are gather'd from the Tree; for if they are kept but a short time out of the Ground, they will not grow; which is the chief Reason that this Tree has not been spread into more different Countries: for the Seeds will not keep good long enough to be sent to any distant Place: So that in order to cultivate this Plant in any Part of the World, it is absolutely necessary to have it carried thither growing. But as this Difficulty is now overcome, by the quantity of these Trees there are now growing both in
Europe
and
America;
so we may expect to be furnished with them from many different Parts, but especially from the
Caribbee
Islands, where the Trees are found to succeed as well as in their native Soil; but whether the
Coffee
produced in the
West-Indies,
will prove as good as that brought from
Mocha,
Time will discover. The Berries of this Plant are commonly ripe with us in
April. Coffee
is of an excellent drying Quality; it comforts the Brain, eases Pains of the Head, suppresses Vapours, dries up Crudities in the Stomach; prevents Sleepiness after eating, and gives Life and Gaiety to the Spritis,
&c.
Tea
Coca, or Chocolate Tree
The COCAO Tree, that bears the
Chocolate
Nut, much resembles our
Heart-Cherry
Tree; but at its full Growth spreads to a greater breadth in compass, and is something loftier: 'Tis well supplied with Leaves, that resemble those of the Orange Tree; but are longer, and more sharp-pointed: It is always flourishing, especially towards the two Solstices; for as the Leaves only fall off successively, and as others grow again; this Tree never appears naked. The Blossoms are regular, and like a Rose, but very small and without Smell: Every Blossom is joined to the Tree by a slender Stalk, and leaves in falling off long stringly Filaments, which are green, from which a yellow pointed Fruit is form'd, of the size of our Melons; which adhere to the thick Boughs or Branches, not admitting of any Intermedium, or Stem, as Apples do. Each Fruit contains from fifteen to twenty-five little Nuts, or Almonds; they are each of them cover'd with a yellowish thin Skin; which being separated, a tender Substance appears, which is divided into several unequal Particles, that are olly, of good Nourishment, and leave a certain sharpness upon the Palate. These Trees grow in all the
Spanish West Indies, Jamaica,
&c. They commonly bear Fruit within seven Years space, or less, after their first Plantation; tho' in the Interim they are sometimes twice or thrice removed, and great Care is taken to secure them with Shades, that they may not be injured by the over-powerful Heat of the scorching Sun, of which they are not in danger, when they once become great; for being planted in Ranks and regular Walks, shady Plantane Trees,
&c.
are rang'd with them; and one shelters the other, both from the parching Sun and boisterous Wind. As it is a Tree of singular Beauty, having large, broad, ablong green Leaves, which fall back, and hang like so many Shields, to preserve and defend the tender Fruit; so is it likewise a Tree of great Profit to the Owner, arising from its most desirable Fruit, which grows after an admirable manner in Cods; studded, as it were in the very Body of the Tree, from the Earth upwards, as well as the Arms and large Boughs: But the Fruit never grows at the Ends of the small Branches. And herein we may easily apprehend, that if Nature had plac'd such bulky Fruit at the ends of the Branches, their great weight must necessarily break them; and the Fruit would fall before it come to Maturity. The Nuts, they say, among the
Indians
and
Spaniards,
go for current Money, even in those Countries where Gold and Silver are naturally produc'd; being to them Food and Raiment, Riches and Delight, all at once. It seems almost unnecessary to tell the Reader, that the Use of these Nuts is to make that well-known Liquor call'd
Chocolate,
every one being acquainted with it.
The Sugar Cane
Nutinegs and Mace
NUTMEGS are of two sorts; distinguished by Male and Female; the latter is the best, and most commonly used; The Male, which is a long and large Nut, is seldom used: The Female, which is the rounder and lesser Nut, is that generally sold in the Grocers Shops; and the Trees which bear the Female, or common
Nutmegs,
grow not but in cultivated or improv'd Lands; but the Males, or long Nutmegs, grow in Woods and Forests, which makes the
Dutch
call them
Wild Nutmegs.
The Tree that produces the common, or best sort of
Nutmegs,
is as large as a Pear-Tree, with Leaves shap'd like those of the Peach, but much smaller: The Blossom is in the shape of a Rose, of a pleasant Smell; after the Flower is fallen off, a Fruit appears, as large as a green Wall-nut; the
Nutmeg
is the Kernel of this Fruit, which is cover'd with two Barks; the first is very thick, and pull'd off when the Fruit is ripe; the second is much thinner and finer, of a reddish Colour inclining to yellow: It is separated from the
Nutmeg
in order to dry, and is what we call
Mace.
When the
Nutmegs
are separated from their Barks, they dry and preserve them. The Nutmeg-Trees grow plentifully in the great Island of
Banda,
in
Asia,
and in several other Islands in the
East Indies,
belonging to the
Dutch;
it being a Commodity which none but themselves are Masters of. These Isles, they say, are so stock'd with Nutmeg-Trees, that it is almost incredible; and the Climate so good, that the Trees are always loaden with this rich Fruit; and that they have three Crops a Year,
viz.
in
April, August,
and
December.
This Tree, according to Mr.
Tavernier,
is not planted, but grows by means of certain Birds, which swallow the
Nutmegs
whole, and throw them up again, without having digested them; and the
Nutmeg
being then cover'd with a viscous and gluey Matter, and being cast upon the Ground, they take Root, and produce a Tree, which grows just as if it had been planted after the manner of others.
Cinnamon Tree
CLOVES are the Foot-stalks of the Flowers of the
Clove
Tree, pluck'd before they are full blown: When the Fruit begins to appear, their Colour is of a whitish green; afterwards they grow red; and at last, when ripe, of a dark brown. These Trees grew plentifully in the
Molucca
Islands, till the
Dutch,
not being able to hinder the
English,
and some other Nations from going thither, and bringing away
Cloves
from thence, thought it advisable, to make themselves entirely Masters of that Commodity, to pluck up all the Trees, and transport them to an Island of their own, called
Ternate;
by which means other Nations are forced to purchase that valuable Merchandise from them. There is no other Art used with the
Cloves
after they are pluck'd from the Tree, but to let them dry in the open Fields expos'd to the heat of the Sun, and after that to keep them carefully from the Air. There is also describ'd by some Authors, the
Royal Clove;
so called from bearing on its top a sort of Crown; for which reason the King of the Country keeps it in his own Possession; and because there is 2 common fabulous Opinion; that the other Trees bow towards this as their King.
Clove Tree
Pepper
The
Black East-Indian
PEPPER, is the Fruit of a climbing Plant we commonly call a
Creeper;
and grows in small Clusters, or Bunches, like those of our Currants. The Seeds are small, round, and green at first; but the ripe fresh Fruit is about the size of a large Currant, and of a red Colour, which in drying turns to black. They say, the common
White Pepper
is only the
Black
stripp'd of its outer Skin. This is done by first steeping it in Sea Water, then drying it, and rubbing it in Sand. There is however another kind of
Pepper,
which is naturally white, but in all other respects is like the Black. The
English
and
Dutch
bring from the
East-Indies
three sorts of
Black Pepper,
which differ not one from the other, but according to the Places where they grow: the finest is that of
Malabar.
The Tree or Bush that bears the
Jamaica Pepper,
grows almost after the same manner as the
Barberry
Tree, but not so lofty; and besides without Prickles; otherwise, both for Stock, Branch and Leaf, it is very much like that Tree. The Grains or Berries are about the size of Juniper-Berries, and of an aromatick Taste, which partaking of that of all the other Spices, it has by the
English
been called
All-spice.
This
Pepper
grows plentifully in many of the Plantations in
Jamaica.
GINGER is the Root of a Plant called the small
Club Reed:
It represents in shape a sort of Foot at the end of every Root: Its Leaves are large, long, and of a deep green: It bears a reddish Flower, mix'd with a little green; the whole Head of the Flower resembling a Club; from whence by some it is called
Ginger with the Club-Flower.
There are two kinds of
Ginger,
the white or mealy, and the hard black; but the first is reckon'd by much the best.
Ginger
grows both in the
East
and
West-Indies,
and is very much cultivated in the Isles of the
Antilles;
but the greatest quantities come from the
Leeward
Islands,
Barbadoes, Nevis, St. Christophers;
and likewise from
Jamaica,
and other Places thereabouts. We have now little out of the
East-Indies,
but what is brought thence in a Confection, call'd
green Ginger;
which they prepare in
India;
and is likewise made in
England
and other Parts, by steeping the fresh Root two or three Days in warm Water, keeping it in a
Balneo
all that time; by which means it will grow soft and swell: They then boil it up, either flit or whole, with refin'd Sugar, to a Syrup.
Ginger Plant
The Currant Vine
CURRANTS that are sold by the Grocers of
London,
&c. and are well known for their excellent use in Puddings, Cakes, &
c.
are the Fruit of the Vine, and called the
Corinth
Grape, or vulgarly, the
Currant
Grape: Of this kind there are two or three different Colours, as red, black, and tawney. The Vine that bears this Fruit is low, furnish'd with thick Leaves, very much indented, and like all other Vines sending forth Claspers at the Joints; by which it fastens itself to whatever Plant stands near it; and the Fruit is produced in Bunches. These Vines grow plentifully in a vast spacious Plain that is situated behind the Fortress of
Zant
in
Greece.
This Plain is surrounded with Mountains and Hills, and is divided into Vineyards, in which are abundance of Cyprus, Olives, and Houses of Pleasure, which make together with the Fortress and the Mount
Discoppo,
a Prospect perfectly beautiful. When these little Grapes are ripe, which generally happens in
August,
the People of
Zant
gather and stone them, then spread them upon the Ground to dry, and when dry'd carry them into the Town, where they are thrown through a Hole into the great Magazine, call'd the
Seraglio;
and are there press'd so close together in a Mass, that they are oblig'd to use Iron Instruments to pull them out; which done, they put 'em into Casks or Bales of different sizes; and to make them so tight as they are brought to us, they employ Men to tread them with their Feet, for which purpose they rub 'em well with Oil beforehand.
Currants
are brought from several Places in the
Levant;
but the sort we use is chiefly brought from the Islands near the
Morea.
They say, the People of
Zant,
where these
Currants
grow, believe that the
Europeans
use them to dye Cloths, not knowing that they are for eating. As
Currants
are the Fruit of the Vine, so likewise the several kinds of
Raisins
are only so many sorts of Grapes, differing according to the Countries where they are produced. When the Grapes are ripe, they gather the Bunches, and put them to dry in the Sun, turning them from one side to the other, by which means they dry equally; and when dry they put 'em up into little Chests,
&c.
for Transportation: Tho', as some say, before they expose the Bunches to dry in the Sun, they first dip them into a certain Liquor prepared for that purpose.
Pomegranate Tree
Rice
RICE is the Product of a Plant much cultivated in most of the Eastern Countries; and great quantities of it are brought into
England,
and other
European
Countries every Year; where it is in great esteem for Puddings,
&c.
it being too tender to be produc'd in these northern Countries, without the assistance of artificial Heat: But from some Seeds formerly sent to
South-Carolina,
there have been great quantities produc'd; and it is found to succeed equally as well there, as in its native Soil; which is a very great Improvement to our
American
Settlements: it being a Seed of so great Use and Profit, that it is call'd the Manna of the Poor; and throughout several Countries, it is the chief Support of the Inhabitants. This Plant bears its Stalk about three or four Feet high, much thicker and stronger than that of Wheat and other Corn: The Leaves are long like the Reed, and fleshy; the Flowers blow on the top like Barley; but the Seed, which follows, is dispos'd in Clusters, each of which is enclos'd in a yellow Husk, ending in a spiral Thread, and of an oblong, or rather oval Figure. This Plant grows upon moist Soils, where the Ground can be flow'd over with Water after it is come up; so that whoever would cultivate it in
England
for Curiosity, should sow the Seeds upon a Hotbed; and when the Plants are come up, they should be transplanted into Pots fill'd with rich light Earth, and plac'd in Pans of Water, which should be plung'd into a Hot-bed; and as the Water wastes, so it must from time to time be renew'd again. In
July
these Plants may be set abroad in a warm Situation, still preserving the Water in the Pans, otherwise they will not thrive; and towards the latter end of
August
they will produce their Grain, which will ripen tolerably well, provided the Autumn proves favourable. Tho' the chief use of
Rice
be for Food, it is sometimes made use of in Medicine: It nourishes well, stops Fluxes, is good in Armies, Camps, and Sieges; because 'tis of light Carriage, and excellent Sustenance, and easily prepared. It increases Blood, and restores in Consumptions. choose the newest
Rice,
well cleansed, large, that is to say plump, or well fed, white, and not dusty.
Cork Tree
Tobacco Plant
Cotton Plant
COTTON is the Product of a Plant which bears a Stalk about two Foot high, cover'd with a reddish hairy Bark, divided into several short Branches: The Leaves are a little less than the Sycamore Leaves, shap'd almost like those of the Vine, hanging to long Stalks, adorn'd with a kind of Nap, or Hair: The Flowers are numerous, fine and large, having the shape or form of a Bell, slit or cut into five or six Divisions to the bottom, of a yellow Colour, mix'd with red or purple: When the Flower is fallen, 'tis succeeded by a Fruit the bigness of a Filbert; which being ripe opens into three or four Partitions, from whence appears a: Flake of
Cotton,
white as Snow, which swells up or tumesies by Heat, to the size of a little Apple. It contains in it many gross Seeds, like small Peas, oblong and cottony; each having in it a little oily Kernel, sweet to the Taste. There is another sort of
Cotton
Tree that differs from the former in bigness, for this grows to the height of four or five Feet: The Leaves indented deep into three Parts, without Nap or Down: The Flowers and Fruit are like those of the other Kind. Both these sorts of
Cotton
grow in
Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, Candia,
and the
Indies.
In
Jamaica, Barbadoes,
and other Places in the
West Indies,
the
Cotton
Tree usually grows to a reasonable height, spreading sorth its Branches on all sides; with small, green, pointed Leaves; and beareth a Flower in form almost like the Sweet-Briar Rose, but of a yellowish Colour: After the Blossoms are fallen, there followeth a kind of greenish round Button, or Knob almost as big as a Tennis Ball, having a thin crusty Shell; which when full rice is of a dark brown or blackish Colour: In these round Buttons is inclosed the
Cotton,
which open when ripe in several Partitions like the former, out of which the
Cotton
falleth, if not timely gather'd: it contains likewise a great number of small blackish Seeds, that grow inclosed in the same Shell, which before the
Cotton
is made use of are pick'd out. There grow likewise in some of the
American
Plantations,
Cotton
Bushes, or Shrubs, which approach very near in likeness to those of
Egypt, Arabia,
&c.
The MANDRAKE Plant is distinguish'd by two Species;
viz.
the Common with a round Fruit, called the
Male Mandrake,
and that with the purplish blue Flower, called the
Female Mandrake.
The Leaves of the former rise directly from the Root, above a Foot long, broader than a Man's Hand in the middle, and narrow at both Ends, smooth, of a deep green Colour, and a disagreeable Smell. The Flowers of both these Plants are of the shape of a Bell, divided at the tops into several Parts, which afterwards becomes a globular soft Fruit, in which is conrain'd many kidney-shap'd Seeds. The Root, as some say, represents, when it is whole, the lower Parts of a Man, from whence it is called
Anthropomorpha,
which signifies the Figure of a Man. But as to this feigned resemblance of an human Form, which the Root of this Plant is said to carry, 'tis all Imposture, owing to the Cunning of Quacks and designing Knaves, who deceive the Ignorant with fictitious Images shap'd from the fresh Roots of
Briony
and other Plants: And what is reported as to the manner of rooting up this Plant, by tying a Dog thereto, to prevent the certain Death of the Person who should dare to attempt it, and the Groans it emits upon the Force offer'd,
&c.
it is all a fulsome Fable: for several large Roots of this Plant have been taken up; some of which have been transplanted into other Places, without observing any particular difference in this from any other deeprooting Plant. Some Persons worthy of Credit, have deliver'd as a Truth, that one of these Roots will remain sound above fifty Years, and be as vigorous as a young Plant; but they should never be remov'd after their Roots have arriv'd to any considerable size, which would break their lower Fibres, and so stint the Plants, as that they will not recover their former strength in two or three Years. The
Female
Mandrake Plant
Mandrake
with the bluish purple Flower; differs from the former, in that its Leaves are smaller, narrower, more folded, blacker, trailing on the Ground, of a strong stinking Smell; and the Fruit less and paler, not form'd like a Pear, as some Authors will have it; but round, scented, full of Juice, and containing very small black Seeds. The Root is about a Foot long, divided into two Branches, brown without, white within, and furnish'd with some Fibres, but nothing like the Male Plant. Both sorts grow in hot Countries, in the Plains or mountainous Places; but the last much rarer. These Plants are propagated in Gardens from Seeds, which shou'd be sown upon a Bed of light Earth soon after they are ripe; where they should remain till the latter end of
August,
(observing always to keep them clear from Weeds) at which time they should be taken up very carefully, and transplanted into the Places where they are to remain, which should be a light deep Soil, for their Roots do always run downwards very deep; and if the Plants are not disturb'd, they will grow to a large size in a few Years, and will produce great quantities of Flowers and Fruit, and they will abide a great many Years. There are
Mandrakes
mention'd in the 30th Chap. of
Genesis,
which
Reuben
is said to have found in the Field, in the time of Wheat Harvest; and with which his Mother
Leah
purchas'd from her Sister
Rachel
no less a Favour than the Enjoyment of her Husband. What those
Mandrakes
should be that were so desirable to
Rachel;
whether she coveted them for their delectable Taste, their fragrant Smell, or their beautiful Colour, does not appear: And as our learned Commentators differ in their Opinions about it, I shall not venture to give my own; but only observe, that in the
Canticles
it is said,
The Mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits:
Which seems to intimate, as if the
Mandrakes
were a Fruit of a pleasant Taste, a fragrant Smell, and delightful to the Eye: for when
Solomon
says, the
Mandrakes give a smell;
sure he must mean a grateful Smell, or methinks he would hardly have introduc'd them to adorn a Pastoral Song: and as he immediately adds,
at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits;
it seems to imply, that the
Mandrake
was likewise a pleasant Fruit, which perhaps, was so both to the Eye and Palate: But be that as it will, this we may venture to affirm, that the
Mandrake
Plants known to us now, whether wild or cultivated; have no such desirable qualities, as to render them so valuable to the good Women of our days, to give in exchange their Husbands for them: For these, contrary to what is mention'd in Scripture, have a disagreeable Smell.
Balm of Gilead
The CEDAR
of Libanus
is a very large, thick, straight Tree: Its Leaves small and slender; being much narrower than those of the Pine-Tree, disposed in Clusters along the Branches; and the Fruit like our Pine-Apples; but grows upon the upper part of the Branches, and stands erect, having a strong woody central Style, by which it is firmly annex'd to the Branch, so as with difficulty to be taken off: which central Style remains upon the Branches, after the Cone is fallen to pieces; so that they never drop off whole as the Pine-Apples do. It is said, that from the Trunk, and the large Branches of this Tree, there flows, during the great Heats, without any Incision, a sort of white Resin, very clear, and of a grateful Odour; which they call
Cedar-Gum,
of which the largest Trees yield not less than six Ounces a day. The
Cones
of the
Cedar
are brought from the
Levant,
which, if preserv'd intire, will continue their Seeds for several Years: The time of their ripening is commonly in the Spring, and are near one Year old before we receive them; for which they are not the worse, but rather the better. To get the Seeds out of the Cone, they split it, by driving a sharp piece of Iron through the Centre lengthways, and so pull the Seeds out with their Fingers; which Seeds are fasten'd to a thin leafy Substance, as are those of the Firr-Tree. For the ordering the
Cedar
Plant, see
Miller
's Directions in his
Gardener's Dictionary.
What we find mention'd in Scripture of the
lofty Cedars,
can be no ways applicable to the Stature of this Tree; since, from the Experience we have of those now growing in
England,
as also from the Testimony of several who have visited those few remaining Trees on
Mount Libanus,
they are not inclin'd to grow very losty, but, on the contrary, extend their Branches very far: To which the Allusion made by the
Psalmist
agrees very well, when he is describing the flourishing State of a People, and says,
They shall spread their Branches like the Cedar Tree.
Mr.
Maundrel,
in his
Travels,
says, when he visited
Mount Libanus,
there were but sixteen large Trees remaining; some of which were of a prodigious Bulk, but that there were many more young Trees of a smaller size; he measur'd one of the largest, and found it to be twelve Yards six Inches in girt, and yet sound, and thirty seven Yards in the spread of its Boughs. At about five or six Yards from the Ground, it was divided into five Limbs, each of which was equal to a great Tree. The Wood of this famous Tree is accounted Proof against all Putrefaction of Animal Bodies: The Saw-dust of it is thought to be one of the Secrets used by those Mountebanks who pretend to have the embalming Mystery. This Wood is also said to yield an Oil which is famous for preserving Books and Writings: and the Wood is thought by my Lord
Bacon
to continue a thousand Years sound. Of
Cedar
Wood was most of the Timber-Work of that glorious Structure, the
Temple
of
Jerusalem.
Cedar of Libanu
The Ananus
Great American Aloe
Sensible Plan
The Contexture of the SENSIBLE PLANT is very surprising; for, upon touching any of the Sprigs with Leaves on, all the Leaves on that Sprig contracting themselves by Pairs, joined their upper Superfices close together. Upon the dropping a Drop of
Aqua-fortis
on the Sprig betwixt the Leaves, all the Leaves above shut presently, those below by Pairs successively after, by and by the lower Leaves of the other Branches, and so every Pair successively, with some little distance of time betwixt, to the top of each Sprig, and so they continued shut for some time: But returning to the Garden the next Day, and several Days after, found all the Leaves dilated again on two of the Sprigs; but where the
Aqua-fortis
had dropped, upwards, dead and withered; but those below on the same Sprig, green, and closing upon the Touch as before, and continu'd so. With a Pair of Scissars, as suddenly as it could be done, one of the Leaves was clipped off in the middle; upon which that Pair, and the Pair above, closed presently; after a little Interval those under, and so the rest of the Pairs to the bottom of the Sprig; and then the Motion began in the lower Pairs on the other Sprigs, and so shut them by Pairs upwards, though not with such distinct distances. Upon cutting off one of the harder Branches, there came out a Liquor, without pressure; very clear, and of a bright greenish Colour, tasting at first a little bitterish, but after leaving a liquorice like Taste behind: which probably, the Motion of this Plant upon touching might proceed from this; that there being a constant Intercourse betwixt every Part of this Plant and its Root, either by a Circulation of this Liquor, or a constant pressing of the subtiler Parts of it to every Extremity of the Plant. The above Experiments were made by Dr.
Hooke,
on some of these Plants which grew in a Garden in St.
James
's Park. I have read, that in the Passage of the
Isthmus,
from
Nombre de Dios
to
Panama,
there is a whole Wood full of
Sensitive Trees,
of which, as soon as they are touch'd, the Leaves close and move with a rattling Noise, and twist themselves together into a winding Figure.
Indian Lanthorn Fly
Natural
and
Philosophical CONJECTURES ON THE
IGNIS FATUUS,
OR JACK IN THE LANTHORN: Endeavouring to prove, that The
LIGHT
so called proceeds from Some FLYING INSECT; And not from a FIRED VAPOUR, as generally believ'd.
WITH A Description and Curious Figure of the
Indian
LANTHORN FLY, a Nocturnal Insect, which carries a Light in dark Nights, equal to that of our
Will with a Whisp.
LONDON:
Printed for T. BOREMAN, near
Child
's Coffee-House in St.
Paul
's Church-Yard.
M.DCC.XXXVI.
IGNIS FATUUS,
OR JACK IN THE LANTHORN, a Flying INSECT.
T HE Notion that an
Ignis Fatuus,
or
Jack in the Lanthorn,
is a fired Vapour exhaled from boggy Places, being founded on the Judgment of many Learned and Ingenious Persons, has so far prevailed, that the Generality of Mankind seem to acquiesce in that Solution of this surprizing Phaenomenon.
An Attempt therefore to prove the contrary, and that the
Light
called by this Name proceeds from some nocturnal
Flying-Insect,
will perhaps be deemed vain and rash. However, I shall take the Liberty to assign the Reasons which induce me to believe it, and my Objections to its being a Vapour; which I submit to the Judgment of the Curious, till time and experience shall demonstrate the real Truth.
If in my Pursuit of the Wanderer I should chance to be misled, it will be in common with all that have followed the Chace, with this advantage, that I can sustain no Injuries from it. And the Attempt may invite others, who may be more successful in their Endeavours. The Conjecture must be agreeable, and the Probability will be of some use, if it helps to dispossess fearful Country People of their superstitious Apprehensions.
The first Hint of my Opinion I received from
Meriana
's Account of the famous
Indian
LANTHORN FLY, publish'd amongst her Insects of
Surinam;
which Account, being not in the least foreign to the Subject, nor perhaps unpleasant to the Reader, I shall here insert.
The
Lanthorn Fly
is a Nocturnal Insect, that has an Hood, or Bladder on its Head, which gives a Light like a Lanthorn in the Night, but by Daylight is clear and transparent, very curiously adorned with Stripes of a red and green Colour. Such a shining came forth from this Bladder in the Night, that it was possible by the Light of it to have read Writing of tolerable large Characters. She says, that when once upon a time, the
Indians
she sent to seek for Insects, brought her of these
Lanthorn Flies
in great abundance, she shut them up in a large Chest, not knowing as yet that they shone by Night; but being awak'd and frighten'd in the Night out of her Sleep by an unusual Noise; jumping out of Bed, order'd a Light to be brought; not knowing what that uncommon Disturbance which she heard in her House should be: It immediately appear'd that the Noise came from the Chest; upon which, with some disorder of Mind they open'd it; but still more frighten'd, they suddenly clapp'd the Lid down again; because in the opening, there came as it were a Flame of Fire, as often as a new Insect flew out: which at length being observ'd, and coming to themselves again, they gather'd the little Creatures together once more; admiring that so considerable a Light should proceed from them.
The Wings and whole Body of this Insect are elegantly adorned with a Mixture of beautiful Colours; as red, green, yellow, &c. It's said, the Creature can contract or dilate the Hood or Bladder over its Head at pleasure: and that they hide all their Light when taken, but when at liberty afford it plentifully. Accordingly, those which
Meriana
inclos'd having the Liberty of a large dark Chest, display'd their Light, and it being their proper time to fly, endeavour'd to escape as soon as the Lid was open.
The more I consider'd this wonderful Account, the stronger it inclin'd me to believe the
Jack in the Lanthorn
of our own Country, was likewise no other than the shining of some night-flying Insect. And indeed I was too well pleas'd with the Discovery I thought I had made, vainly imagining my Opinion to be singular; nor knowing that any Person had formed the Conjecture before my self; till, looking into the
Philosophical Transactions,
I was agreeably surprized, to find that two learned and eminent Persons, the late Mr.
Fr. Willughby,
and Mr.
Ray,
were both of the same Opinion. The late learned and ingenious Dr.
Derham
indeed, who publish'd that Account, was of a contrary Opinion: believing those Appearances to be fired Vapours. But with due Submission to the Judgment of so great a Man, the Account he has given of this Phaenomenon, seems in every Circumstance to agree much better with that of a living Creature, than an inflammable Vapour. Which Account of the
Ignes Fatui,
I shall transcribe from the
Philosophical Transactions,
for the sake of such of my Readers as are not possess'd of those Books.
But I shall first give the Reasons which incline me to believe these Appearances only the shining of some Nocturnal Flies; because they are the Result of such Thoughts as occurr'd from considering the Subject itself, before I knew the Sentiments of those eminent Persons abovemention'd.
I apprehend then that the
Ignis Fatuus
must be rather a flying Insect than a Vapour, because the Properties attributed to it, such as its Motion, directing itself which way it pleases, shunning whatever Obstruction happens in its Passage, and the like, in which almost all Accounts agree, correspond much better to that of an Insect flying, or the Actions of something guided by Sense; than to that of a fired Vapour, which must be absolutely carried with the Wind, let it blow which way it will: And may we not very naturally suppose, that if it was only a Vapour driven by the Wind, it would some time or other have been blown exactly to the Spot where some Persons were passing, that might have discover'd what it was; or directly to some House, Village, Town? &
c.
I cannot imagine how a mere Vapour could shun any of these Obstructions. And would a fired Vapour, if once extinct, (as these Appearances are frequently observed to be suddenly dark, and immediately to shine again) be enkindled in a Body any more?
Methinks, if
Igues Fatui
were only Vapours, they would sometimes be raised higher in the Air than these Lights are observed to be, which seldom exceeds six Feet above the Ground; unless it be to mount over a Hedge, or some such thing. But their passing along a few Feet above the Ground, or surface of the Water, very much agrees with that of some Insects in quest of their Prey; and does not their settling of a sudden, and rising again immediately, answer likewise? It looks very much as if they had found something which they were in search after. From hence there appears great Reason to believe it nothing else but a Night-flying Infect; and that the Light it carries is given either to seek its Food with, or woo its Female, or perhaps both.
All Accounts agree, that the
Ignis Fatuus
is never seen but in a dark Night, which is still a stronger Argument of its being a living Creature; for a Vapour might be exhalld when it was not so dark, as well as when it was, and be visible too. But supposing it a Creature that flies by Night, it may either not sally out in light Nights, or its Organs of Sight be so adapted, as to see at such a time without the assistance of this extraordinary Light, and not expend its shining Matter when its natural Eyes will serve; but use this Lamp or Lanthorn in dark Nights only, when Necessity obliges it: For perhaps, the Materials that this shining Matter is compos'd of, may cost the Creature some Labour to gather, tho' Nature may fit it for Use afterwards. And 'tis not unlikely that the suppos'd little Animal may have a Receptacle to preserve its shining Matter in, which it lets out when occasion requires; for this Light is no real Fire, but the Appearance only.
But altho' we are not able to give a satisfactory Account of what this Light consists of, this carries no real Objection to its being a Night-shining Fly: because we are well assured, that there are flying Insects peculiar to several Countries that actually do shine in dark Nights, and yield Lights, not much different from those of our
Ignes Fatui.
To me it seems not altogether improbable, that this suppos'd Insect may be furnish'd with a kind of natural Phosphorus, perhaps in quality not unlike the great Mr.
Boyle
's Noctilucal Matter, or Night-shining Stuff; which when reduced to a Powder, and put into a Phial, gently heated at the Fire, and then shook; whereby the small Particles of this shining Matter being put into Motion, would in a dark Room yield a Light very vivid. [
See
Mr.
Boyle
's Experiments and Observations made upon the
Icy,
&c.
Noctiluca.
] That the like Agitation may be performed by these shining Flies naturally, without any difficulty, either by Respiration, or by the Motion of its Wings or Legs, seems not at all improbable.
Agreeable to this is what Mr.
Templer
observ'd of the Glo-worm. Putting,
says he,
the Glo-worm into a small thin Box, (such as Pills are usually sent in)
May
27. between Eleven and Twelve at Night, I saw her shine thro' the Box very clearly on one side, the Box shut; putting white Paper into the Box, and the Worm into the Paper, it shined through the Paper and Box both. The next Morning, about Eight of the Clock, she seemed dead, and holding her in a very dark Place, I could perceive very little Light, and that only when she was turned on her Back, and by consequence put into some little voluntary Motion. After Sun-set that Night, she walked briskly up and down in her Box, shining clearly as the Night before. The 29th in the Morning she seemed dead again, at Night recovered her self, and shined as well as ever in the Box. I never,
says he,
saw her shine without some sensible Motion either in her Body or Legs. In her clearst shining she extended her Body a third part beyond its usual length. The Glo-worm having contracted her Body into a bending Posture, shined little, the Light scarcely so big as a great Pin's head; upon touching of her she extended her self, walked in her Box, and at first Extent shined as gloriously as ever.
Philosoph. Transact.
No . 72.
The Use that I would make of these observations on the Glo-worm, is to strengthen the Probability that the supposed
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly, and other shining Flies, as well as the Glo-worm, emit their Light, by putting the small Particles of shining Matter into motion, from some voluntary Motion in themselves.
It has been objected,
First,
that these Lights were too large for any Insect whatever.
Second,
That they were always carried along with the Wind.
Third,
That they were never seen but in Salt-Marshes, or other Boggy Grounds.
And
lastly,
which seems to be the strongest of all the Objections; if this Light proceeds from a flying Insect, how comes it that the Creature has never yet been discover'd? or how was it possible to have escaped the narrow Searches of so many curious Persons, as have with indefatigable labour collected all the Insects possible to be procur'd, both of our own Country, and likewise from Abroad; and have with so great Care examin'd the Contexture of most Insects, as well as larger Animals, and as it were anatomised their distinct Parts; have been able to render a consistent and rational Account of the various Use those Parts seem'd to be designed for; and yet it should never enter into any of their Heads, that such a Creature was a nocturnal Luminous Insect, and probably the
Ignis Fatuus,
that had so. long amused and puzzled Mankind to account for?
The first Objection urges the Impossibility of an Insect carrying a Light so large as the
Ignis Fatuus
appears to be.
Most Accounts agree, that these Lights commonly appear of the bigness of that of a middling Candle, and sometimes they have been seen much smaller; tho' some indeed have said, they have seen in other Countries these Appearances equal to that of a Torch. Every one knows that Light magnifies in the Night, the darker the Night, the bigger the Light seems to be; and what appear'd so luminous at a distance, the nearer you approach it the less it grows. The same has been observ'd of the
Ignis Fatuus;
which, as before said, is no real Fire, but the Appearance only. It is well known, the
Lanthorn Fly
of the
Indies,
when at Liberty, sometimes emits a Light not far short of what is reported of the biggest of our
Jack in the Lanthorn:
and this Light being contain'd in the Bladder on its Head, the Creature, as is said, can either contract, or dilate at Pleasure. The Glo-worm can encrease or diminish its shining; and very probably the supposed
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly can do the same; or its Light appearing bigger or less, may be in proportion to the Size or Perfection of the Creature that emits it.
The second Objection is, That this Light was always carried along with the Wind. If that were true, it would be impossible for it to shun any kind of Obstruction in its way, whether Man, Beast, Bank, Hedge, House,
&c.
but would unavoidably sometimes have been driven against some or other of them; which I never heard it was; but on the contrary shunn'd them as carefully as if guided by Sense. Besides, it can be proved by undeniable Testimony, that this Light moves any way it pleases, just as a flying Insect would do, busied in seeking its Food, sporting itself, or some other Employment. It must be own'd, indeed, that a flying Insect is generally carry'd with the Wind, not caring, or not able (especially when it blows any thing hard) to beat against it; unless it be such who have Homes, and young Offsprings to take care of, and whose Bodies are fitly balanc'd to resist such Winds. Thus far the Motion of an Insect, will agree with that of a Vapour carried by the Wind.
The third Objection, that the
Ignes Fatui
are never seen but in Salt-Marshes, or other Boggy Places; is a great Mistake. I can produce Persons of Veracity, that have seen these Lights flying over Fields, Heaths, and other dry Places. A few Days since a grave Gentleman, a Person of exceeding good Knowledge, told me, that in
Hertfordshire,
about eleven a Clock in a dark Night, he saw one of these Lights flying over a fallow piece of Ground: being within three or four Fields of his Habitation, he was perfectly acquainted with the Ground thereabouts, and well assured there was no hazard of being led into Bogs, Rivers, or other dangerous Places; his Curiosity led him to follow it, resolving, if possible, to discover what it was, (for though he had heard it was only a Vapour exhal'd from the Earth, he had still some Doubt about it.) It led him over a plow'd Field, flying and twisting about from place to place; sometimes it would suddenly disappear, and as suddenly appear again: sometimes it would drop down, and presently rise again. Once it made directly to a Hedge but a small distance from him, which, as soon as it came pretty near, it mounted over; and he lost sight of it, after he had follow'd it a full Hour without the least Satisfaction. He then turn'd about to make the best of his way home, when presently he spied it again: but finding it next to an impossibility to approach near enough to satisfy his Curiosity about it, and being pretty well tired; gave over the Pursuit, and would follow it no further. The same Person says, That in
Surry
he has seen in a dark Night six or seven of these Lights at one time, flying over a boggy Common. And that he has seen these Appearances flying over Lands where there has been neither Ponds nor Bogs.
If the Objection to its being an Insect, because seen only in Boggy Places, would hold good; it would infallibly destroy the last Objection of its being always carried along with the Wind. For as these Lights frequently hold collected in a Body, for an Hour or more, as has been oftentimes observ'd, they might, nay certainly would (sometimes in half that time) be driven over Fields, and other dry Places, according to the strength of the Wind. But it will admit of a Doubt, whether an inflammable Vapour, would continue collected in a Body many Minutes, expos'd to so much Wind as would be sufficient to carry it along, without being very soon dissipated.
I don't deny that these Appearances are more frequently seen in Boggy, and Marshy Grounds: The Creature may very probably feed on watry Insects; and as all Animals are naturally endued with the Sense of knowing the sure Places where to find their Food, so may the
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly likewise frequent watry Places for that very end; at which Places, as the most likely, the Males may meet and woo their Females also; the flying State being the Perfection, and last State of all the winged Tribes of Insects; in which they generate, lay their Eggs, and after which few kinds of them long survive.
This Light being often observ'd to stand still as well as move, and sometimes seeming fixed on the Surface of the Water; we may naturally suppose at such a time it settles upon the Ground, Grass, or Weeds, as other Insects do; and may perhaps either have found, and be devouring its Prey, or watching to catch it; which it could not do without the assistance of this extraordinary Light.
To the last Objection; If an
Ignis Fatuus
were only the shining of some Insect, how comes it that the Creature never yet was discover'd,
&c.
I reply, That the suppos'd
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly's not being yet discover'd, may in a great measure be accounted for. All Night-Animals in general have Places of Retreat, where they hide themselves in the Day-time: to these Places of Retirement, they seem as naturally to betake themselves, as other Animals to Rest and Sleep. Some find a proper convenient Receptacle under the Earth in Holes; some in Timber, Stone,
&c.
others lying on the Ground, amongst Weeds, or in Hedges, hollow Trees, or under the Bark, or in the Wood,
&c.
It would be endless to recount the various Methods Nature has taught these little Creatures to secure themselves from Dangers.
We all know that such Animals as fly a Nights, are sluggish and heavy in the Day-time, not caring to stir, and with difficulty are put on the Wing; hardly any thing less than their Preservation will force them to it; as the Bat, Owl, Beetle, Chafer,
&c.
which Creatures fly only for about an Hour in the Dusk of the Evening; and so do not stand in need of that extraordinary Light as the supposed
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly, which is always observ'd to sally out in very dark Nights. And if those Animals are so sluggish, that fly in the Evening only; what may we suppose of the
Will with a Whisp,
which flies chiefly when late at Night.
The Glo-worm, as Mr.
Templer
observ'd, always seem'd as if dead in the Day-time; yet constantly at Night would be brisk, and shine as vivid as ever.
If by chance in the Day-time any Person should disclose the sluggish
Jack in the Lanthorn
Fly, in its Place of Shelter or Retreat, (which perhaps may have often happen'd, both in its creeping, and flying State likewise) very likely they would destroy it, as common People do most Insects as noxious Creatures; especially when large and uncommon: But if they should happen not to kill it, not one in ten thousand but would leave it where they found it, without regarding it at all.
For this reason, it is not only difficult to discover this Insect in the Day-time; but if a thousand had been found, it would be next to an Impossibility to know they were shining Flies; because the Part that contains the luminous Matter, like that of the
Indian
Lanthorn Flies, appears by Day-light only clear and pellucid, without any shining at all. Besides, it may perhaps be an Insect not of the multiparous kind, consequently the seldomer to be met with.
The Difficulty of catching this supposed Insect by Night, has been as great hitherto, as that of knowing it by Day. For
Ignes Fatui,
as all agree, appear only in dark Nights, and commonly when late; at which time the benighted Traveller wants to be at Home, or perhaps the Stories he has heard of the
Jack in the Lanthorn
's leading such as follow it into Rivers, and other dangerous Places, deterr him from going after it. But if it happen'd he was neither in haste, nor afraid; it would be almost impossible to follow it in a dark Night, amongst Bogs, Lakes,
&c.
where this Insect is usually sporting and frisking over the Waters. Should we not conclude the Person, that would perhaps risque his Life in attempting to catch what he thinks a Vapour, more infatuated than the
Ignis Fatuus
he is in pursuit after.
It was never yet known that any Person approach'd so near this Light, as to discover certainly what it was. But as some Persons have attempted to draw near it for that intent (when by chance they have seen it in a Place easy of Access, tho' not one in a thousand have had the Courage to venture) the cunning Vapour, as if sensible of their Design, and for its own Security, withdraws its Light, as it were a dark Lanthorn, and takes that opportunity to escape; leaving the
Ignis Fatuus
Hunter in the dark amongst Bogs and Fens, to find his way out again; whilst
Jack in the Lanthorn
appears again, two or three hundred Yards off, sporting over the Brooks and Meadows, exercised in its beloved Employment.
It appears upon the whole, that the various Properties observable in these Lights carry evident Marks of Sense; to attribute them therefore to fired Vapours moving without any Direction, is an Explication that renders the Subject but more unintelligible.
The late ingenious
R. Bradley,
F. R. S. his Opinion of these Appearances was as follows. The
Ignis Fatuus,
says he, or
Jack in the Lanthorn,
I suppose to be no more than a Group of small enlightned Insects, rather than suppose it an inflammable Vapour, as some have taken it to be; for if it consisted of such Effluvia or Corpuscula as rise from the Earth or Waters, that were inflammable, and by some Cause or other had taken Fire, they could not be of so long lasting or duration as we find them to be; and besides, we might as reasonably expect, that all the Effluvia arising at the same time from the same Body of Water, should equally be inflammable as these; and so the whole Surface of the Pond, Lake, or River, appear all in a Flame at one time. The sudden motion of this Light from Place to Place, very much agrees with the Motion observable in Groups of Gnats, which move in a Body, sometimes very slowly, and at other times drive together with great swiftness. Happening,
says he,
to discourse upon this Subject with the ingenious Mr.
Godfrey
the Chymist, that Gentleman told me, that he had often observ'd this enlightned Body in some Places abroad, and had caught some of the Insects which help'd to compose it. But allowing it to be as I say, the occasion of the Light in such Insects remains yet to be discover'd.
Of all the Accounts that I have had from Variety of People that have seen these Lights, and with which I could have fill'd a large Volume, I find no material difference in their several Relations; only that some, and indeed the most, have seen them in watry and boggy Places, others have seen them in dry Grounds; to some these Lights appear'd of the bigness of that of a middling Candle (which most agree in) to others bigger, and to some smaller. I shall therefore add no other Relations but what follows, from the
Philosophical Transactions.
Of the Meteor call'd the
Ignis Fatuus,
from Observations made in
England
by the Rev. Mr.
W. Derham,
F.R.S. and others in
Italy,
communicated by Sir
Tho. Dereham,
Bart. F.R.S. No . 411. p. 204.
Philos. Transact.
It being the Opinion of divers skilful Naturalists (particularly Mr.
Fran. Willughby
and Mr.
Ray
) that the
Ignes Fatui
are only the shining of a great Number of the Male Glo-worms in
England,
or of the
Pyraustae
in
Italy,
flying together: I was minded to consult my curious and ingenious Friend Sir
Thomas Dereham
about the Phaenomenon, being informed, that those
Ignes Fatui
are common in all the
Italian
Parts. But of the
Pyraustae,
or Fire-Flies, he saith, he never observed any such Effects, altho' there is an immense Number of them in
June
and
July.
He saith moreover, that these
Pyraustae
are called
Lucciolae, i.e.
small Lights; and that they are not the Far-falls (as Mr.
Ray
thought) which are Butterflies. But I have good reason to think, that Insects are not concerned in the
Ignes Fatui
from the following Observations; the first of which I made my self, and the others I received from
Italy,
by the Favour of Sir
Tho. Dereham.
My own Observations I made at a Place that lay in a Valley between rocky Hills, which I suspect might contain Minerals, in some boggy Ground near the bottom of those Hills. Where seeing one in a calm dark Night, with gentle Approaches I got up by degrees within two or three Yards of it, and viewed it with all the Care I possibly could. I found it frisking about a dead Thistle growing in the Field, until a small Motion of the Air (even such as was caused only by the Approximation of my self) made it skip to another place, and thence to another, and another.
It is now about fifty five Years since I saw this Phaenomenon; but I have as fresh and perfect an Idea of it, as if it was but a few Days. And as I took it then, so I am of the same Opinion now, that it was a fired Vapour.
The Male Glo-worms I know emit their shining Light as they fly; by which means they discover and woo their Females: but I never observed them to fly together in so great Numbers, as to make a Light equal to an
Ignis Fatuus.
And I was so near, that had it been the shining of Glo-worms, I must have seen it in little distinct Spots of Light: but it was one continuous Body of Light.
Thus far the Doctor has related his own Observation of an
Ignis Fatuus.
Before I mention the Observations which Sir
Tho. Dereham
procured for him in
Italy;
I cannot help remarking, that in the above Account the Dr. has given of an
Ignis Fatuus,
there appears a much stronger Argument of its being a living Creature, than a Vapour: For when with gentle Approaches he got up by degrees within two or three Yards of it, he found it frisking about a dead Thistle growing in the Field, until a small Motion of the Air (even such as was caused only by his continual gentle approach) made it skip to another Place, and so to another, and another. Its frisking and playing about a Thistle, agrees much better with that of an Insect, exercised in seeking its Food, or some other delightful Employment; as does its skipping from place to place likewise. For I can hardly think it possible that the Air agitated only by his Body, considering how gently he approach'd the Light, could have been sufficient so to affect it, at two or three Yards distance, as to have driven it from him; but if this was really the Cause of its first remove, its second, third, and after removes from place to place, must be owing to something else: And as it was a calm Night, we cannot attribute its flight to the Wind; nor does the Doctor in the least assign that as the Cause, any further than what proceeded from his own slow easy Motion, which was to my thinking insufficient to effect it: Besides, if the Motion of the Air was the only Cause of this Light's moving from place to place; it could not be carried along in one continuous Body of Light, but would at least be spread, if not soon dissipated: But an Insect busied in seeking its Food, or some other Employment, we may naturally suppose, that as soon as ever it perceived itself discover'd (which it might do by the help of its Light) it wou'd move off, in order to secure itself from any appearing danger: And this Solution of the Motion of the
Ignis Fatuus
seems to me more agreeable to Truth than that of a Vapour. And as to the Light's exceeding that which the Male Glo-worm emits flying; and that he never observ'd them to fly together in so great Numbers, as to make a Light equal to an
Ignis Fatuus;
there seems good reason to believe, that all shining Flies can at pleasure add or diminish their Light, or perhaps the Light's being more or less, may be owing to the Size or Perfection of the Creature. But I believe it is not a collective Body of small Insects that composes the
Ignis Fatuus;
but rather one single Animal, which of what Tribe it belongeth to, remains yet to be discover'd.
The
Lanthorn-Fly
of the
Indies,
seems to be of the Papilionaceous kind; tho' the
Indians
say it is produced from the Insect
Fig.
3. pag. 52. which agrees better with the Chafer or Beetle kind, than that of the Butter-fly. But whether the
Ignis Fatuus
be of the Papilionaceous, Libella, Beetle-kind, or any other, in must remain a Doubt, till time discovers it: And all that is intended in this Attempt, is only to show the probability of its being a living Animal, rather than a Vapour; because many of the Circumstances agree well with the former, and hardly one with the latter.
The Observations which Sir
Tho. Dereham
procured for the Doctor in
Italy
agreeing in the general with most other Relations, and the whole being too long to insert, I shall only extract the Heads of what that Gentleman has deliver'd; and then leave the Argument to some abler Hand, whose Time and Abilities are better suited to examine the Subject.
In
Italy
there are of these Lights both on the Mountains, and in the Plains; and are pretty common in all the Territory of
Bologna.
To begin with the Plains: They are frequently observed there; the Country People call them
Cularsi;
perhaps from some fancied Similitude to those Birds, and because they look upon them as Birds, the Belly and other Parts of which are resplendent like our shining Flies. They are most frequent in watry and morasse Ground, and there are some such Places, where one may be almost sure of seeing them every Night, if it be dark. In the Fields near the Bridge
Della Calcarata,
in a Common belonging to a Parish of S.
Maria in dono,
North of
Bologna,
one of these fiery Appearances is very often observed to move across the Fields, coming from another Bridge. There is another of them in the Fields of
Bagnara,
almost East of
Bologna,
which scarce ever fails to appear in dark Nights; particularly when it rains, or snows, as also in cold and frosty Weather: Both these Lights are very large; that at
Bagnara
appeared to a Gentleman, as he was travelling that way; it kept him Company for a Mile or better; constantly moving before him, and casting a stronger Light on the Road than the Link he had with him.
Lesser ones there appear a good many, some of them giving as much Light as a lighted Torch, and some there are no bigger than the Flame of a common Candle. All of them have the same Property, in resembling both in Colour and Light, a Flame strong enough to reflect a Lustre upon neighbouring Objects all around. They are continually in Motion, but this Motion is various and uncertain. Sometimes they rise up, at others they sink: sometimes they disappear of a sudden, and appear again in an instant in some other Place. Commonly they keep hovering about six Feet from the Ground. As they differ in largeness, so they do in figure, spreading sometimes pretty wide, and then again contracting themselves: sometimes breaking to all Appearance in two, and a very little while after meeting again into one Body; sometimes floating like Waves, and letting drop some Parts like Sparks out of a Fire. I have been assured, that there is no dark Night all the Year round when they do not appear. And in the very middle of the Winter, when the Weather is very cold, and the Ground cover'd with Snow, they are observed more frequently than in the hottest Summer. Nor doth Rain or Snow in any wise prevent or hinder their Appearance; on the contrary, they are more frequently observed, and cast a stronger Light in rainy and wet Weather. Neither doth the Wind much hurt them, tho' one should think, that if it was a burning Substance, like common Fire, it should either be dissipated in windy Weather, or extinguished by Rain; (and the same we might expect if it was a Vapour.) But since they do not receive any damage from wet Weather, and since on the other hand it hath never been observed, that any thing was thereby set on Fire, tho' they must needs in moving to and fro meet with a good many combustible Substances; it may from thence be very reasonably inferred, that they have some resemblance to that sort of Phosphorus which doth indeed shine in the dark, but doth not burn any thing, as common Fire doth. As to the appearance of this Phaenomenon in mountainous Parts, by what I have hitherto been able to learn, they differ in nothing else but in largeness; and all those I conversed with, that saw them in the Mountains, agree in that they never observed any larger than the Flame of an ordinary Candle. Nor do those that live in the Mountains call them
Cularsi,
which Name is perhaps used only by the Country People in the Plains, for those large ones above described. One thing I will beg leave to add, that according to the best Informations I have been able to procure, these Lights are great Friends to Brooks and Rivers, being frequently observed along the Banks of them, perhaps because the Air carries them thither more easily than any where else. In all other particulars, as in their Motion, the manner of their Appearance, their disappearing sometimes very suddenly, their Light, the Height they rise to, and their not being affected either by rainy or cold Weather, they are the very same with the
Cularsi
above described, or the large
Will with a Whisp,
as observed in the Plains.
A young Gentleman, a very accurate and knowing Observer of Natural Appearances, travelling some time in the Month of
March
between eight and nine in the Evening, in a mountainous Road not far from our Lady
Del sarso,
about ten Miles South of
Bologna,
as he approach'd a certain River called
Rioverde,
he perceived a Light, which shone very strongly upon some Stones that lay upon the Banks. It seemed to be about two Feet above the Stones, and not far from the Water of the River: In figure and largeness it had the Appearance of a Parallelopepid, somewhat above a
Bolognese
Foot in length, and about half a Foot high, its longest side lying parallel to the Horizon: Its Light was very strong, insomuch that he could very plainly distinguish by it part of a neighbouring Hedge, and the Water in the River; only in the East corner of it the Light was pretty faint, and the square Figure less perfect, as if cut off, or darken'd by the Segment of a Circle: The Gentleman's Curiosity tempted him to examine it a little nearer; in order to which he advanced gently towards the Place, but was surprized to find, that insensibly it changed from a bright red to a yellowish, and then to a pale Colour, in proportion as he drew nearer; and that when he came to the Place itself, it was quite vanished. Upon this he stepped back, and not only saw it again, but sound the farther he went from it, the stronger and brighter it grew; nor could he upon narrowly viewing the Place where this fiery Appearance was, perceive the least blackness, or smell, or any Mark of an actual Fire. The same Observation was confirmed to me by another Gentleman who frequently travels that way, and who assured me, that he had seen the very same Light five or fix different times, in Spring and Autumn, and that he had always observed it in the very same Shape and the same Place; which to me seems very difficult to be accounted for. He told me farther, that once he took particular notice of its coming out of a neighbouring Place, and then settling itself into the Figure above described. How it comes to pass, that the nearer one approaches to these, or the like fiery Appearances, the fainter they grow, till at last they disappear totally, I freely own my self at a loss. This is the Substance of what I have been able to gather from several Accounts relating to the
Ignes Fatui;
but as to the Causes of them I will not pretend to assign any: I will only add, that all that ever saw any of these fiery Appearances agree, and you may assure Mr.
Derham
of it, that they cast a Light quite different from that of the shining Flies; and if you please to reflect on the several Circumstances above related, I believe you will find, that they are not easily, if at all, to be solved by that Hypothesis.
Notwithstanding this Conclusion of Sir
Tho. Dereham's,
from the Circumstances of his Relation, I am more strongly inclin'd to believe the Light proceeds from a living Animal than I was before. For let any Person but examine the particulars of the Account Sir
Thomas
has given of the
Ignes Fatui;
and try how far he can reconcile them to the Appearance, or Notion of a mere Vapour.
In
Italy,
he says, there are observ'd two kinds of these Lights, one on the Mountains, the other in the Plains; those in the Plains are the largest. The Country People call them
Calarsi,
because they look upon them as Birds, the Belly and other Parts of which are resplendent like their shining Flies; that is, their
Pyraustae,
or Fire-Flies, &
c.
One of these fiery Appearances was often observ'd to move across the Fields, coming from one Bridge to a Spot of Ground near the other. Would a fired Vapour, think ye, be so often raised at the same Place, of the same size, and so constantly go to the same Spot, and there fix it self? Can such an Action be reconcil'd to the Notion of a Vapour? Is it not more agreeable to that of Sense? It rather looks as as if some shining Animal sallied out at such a time from its lurking Hole, or Place of retreat.
Another of these larger Lights appear'd to a Gentleman as he was travelling, and kept him Company for a Mile or more, constantly moving before him. How a Vapour could do this, is beyond my Comprehension, or I believe any one's else. As to the different Magnitudes of this Light, that is undoubtedly owing to the different Creatures that emit it, or perhaps to the size or perfection of the Insect.
The
Ignis Fatuus
appearing in a dark Night in any Weather, as Rain, Snow, and the like; at which times they are observ'd to cast a stronger Light; agreeeth much better with an Animal than a Vapour; because the shining Matter in an Insect being enclos'd, can receive no damage from any kind of Weather: whereas a Vapour would either not be exhaled, or would soon be dissipated by the weight of the Rain, &
c.
But an Insect at such a time stands in need of more Light, and therefore displays its utmost.
As to the
Ignis Fatuus
that appear'd to the young Gentleman, in figure and size of a Parallelopepid, &
c.
which Observation was confirmed by another Gentleman, who frequently travelled that way, that he had seen the very same Light five or six different times, in Spring and Autumn; and that he had always observed it in the very same shape, and the same place; and that once he took particular Notice of its coming out of a neighbouring Place, and then settling itself into the figure above described; let any Person but duly consider the Circumstances above related, and (as I said before) try if they can be reconciled to the Existence and motion of a Vapour. Sir
Tho. Dereham
freely owns himself at a loss to account for this; as well he might in supposing it a meer fired Vapour. Mistaken Notions, by skilful Advocates, are often made to appear like Truth; but Truth itself, though defended by far meaner Parts, generally carries a stronger Conviction.
POSTSCRIPT.
THE following Account of an
Ignis Fatuus
I had from an intimate Friend, an Apothecary in
London,
since the foregoing Dissertation on this Subject was sent to the Press: Its confirming in a great measure some things that I deliver'd as Conjectures only, made me the more willing to insert it.
Himself, in company with two other Persons, saw one of these Appearances in a Garden about nine of the Clock in a dark Night: They at first imagin'd it some Country Fellow with a Lanthorn, till approaching within about six Yards, it suddenly disappeared; and in a small space of time appear'd in a dry Field, about thirty of forty Yards off. It disappear'd as suddenly a second time, and was seen again near an hundred Yards off; from thence it removed to a further distance, and so to a further; till at length they spied it in another Field, parted from the first by a thick Hedge, and so from Field to Field. Whether it went over, or through the Hedge, could not be observ'd, because it passed from one Field to the other whilst dark.
This Gentleman told me he had seen this Light divers times afterwards; it always appeared the same, without any discernable difference either in bigness or figure, and that several other Persons had seen it likewise.
Once he saw this Appearance in a dry Field, fixed, without Motion; the same two Persons being with him that saw it in the Garden the first time, agreed to try how near they could get to it; and having approach'd within ten or twelve Yards, one of the Persons was for running to catch it; which hasty Proceeding made it immediately vanish: It appear'd again at little distances as before, but seem'd to pack away as it were in a Fright.
These Observations were made at
Astley,
seven Miles from
Worcester.
FINIS.
A TABLE OF THE ANIMALS and VEGETABLES Describ'd in this Volume.
BOOK I. Of four-footed BEASTS.
BEzoar Goat
Page 1
Musk-Goat
Page 2
Shamoy,
or
Rock-Goat
Page 3
Shagreen
Page 3
Antelope
Page 4
Sea Skink
Page 4
Indian
Man-Tiger
Page 5
African
Man-Tiger
Page 5
Word Dormouse
Page 6
BOOK II. Of
BIRDS.
AVosetta
Page 7
Bearded Titmouse
Page 8
Jacobine Pigeon
Page 8
Frigate Bird
Page 9
Bengal
Jay
Page 10
Bengal
Quail
Page 10
Bohemian
Jay
Page 11
Banana
Bird
Page 11
Warwovwen
Page 12
Little. Owl
Page 13
Little Horn-Owl
Page 13
Hoopoe Gock
Page 14
Hoopoe Hen
Page 14
Flarumant
Page 15
Carafow
Cock
Page 16
Carafow
Hen
Page 16
Red Bird
Page 17
Ganser
Page 17
Red-wing'd Starling
Page 18
Red-legg'd Horseman
Page 18
Green Crown-Bird
Page 19
Long-tail'd Humming Bird
Page 19
Porphyrio
Page 20
Amadavad
Bird
Page 21
Crown Bird from
Mexico Page 21
Bird of Paradise
Page 22
Cock Maccaw
Page 23
Hen Maccaw
Page 24
Yellow Lawrey
Page 25
Green Paroqueet
Page 25
Green Parrot
Page 26
The Lawrey
Page 26
Batt
Page 27
BOOK III. Of
FISHES.
CUttle Fish
Page 28
Croker
Page 29
Bone-Fish
Page 30
Ising-glass Fish
Page 30
Black-Tail
Page 31
Sea Squirrel
Page 32
Green Eel
Page 33
Fresh Water Pearch
Page 34
Rudder-Fish
Page 34
Lane Snapper
Page 35
Sea Hawk
Page 35
Bahama
Unicorn-Fish
Page 36
Blue Fish
Page 37
Old Pudding-Wife Fish
Page 38
Hog-Fish
Page 39
The Grunt
Page 40
Pork-Fish
Page 41
Schoolmaster Fish
Page 42
Old-Wife
Page 43
Old Husband Fish
Page 44
Yellow Fish
Page 45
Negro Fish
Page 45
The Tang
Page 46
Rock-Fish
Page 47
Hind-Fish
Page 48
Shad
Page 49
Soldier,
or
Craw-Fish
Page 49
BOOK IV. Of
INSECTS.
A
Curious
Indian
Caterpillar
Page 51
A Fly produced from the above Caterpillar
Page 51
An
Indian
Chafer
Page 52
A Fly from that Chafer
Page 52
Silkworms
Page 53
Butterfly
Page 56
A curious
Indian
Beetle
Page 57
An
Indian
Black Beetle
Page 57
An Insect that feeds on the Grape
Page 58
A beautiful
Indian
Chafer
Page 59
Locust
Page 60
Cock-roch
Page 61
A large
Indian
Spider
Page 62
English
Spiders
Page 63
Curious Observations on the Jumping Spider
Page 64
— on the Carter,
or
Long-legg'd Spider
Page 67
Tarantula
Page 70
Ants,
or
Pismires
Page 73
Blue Fly
Page 76
Book-Worm
Page 79
Book-Spider
Page 81
Wevil,
or
Corn-Beetle
Page 82
Indian
Frog,
&c. Page 83
Indian
Lanthorn Fly
Page 111
BOOK V. Of PLANTS, FRUITS, and FLOWERS.
COffee
Page 85
Tea
Page 86
Cocao,
or
Chocolate Tree
Page 87
Sugar Cane
Page 88
Nutmegs
and
Mace
Page 89
Cinnanon
Page 90
Cloves
Page 92
Pepper
Page 93
Ginger
Page 94
Currants
and
Raisins
Page 95
Pomegranate
Page 96
Rice
Page 97
Cork-Tree
Page 98
Tobacco
Page 99
Cotton
Page 101
Mandrake
Page 102
Balm of
Gilead Page 104
Cedar of
Libanus Page 105
Ananas
Page 106
Great
American
Aloe
Page 107
Sensible Plant
Page 109
Printed by JOHN TILLY, 1736.