The PREFACE. 
Another Advantage, the Knowlege of what is produced there naturally 
brings, is a Confideration of the Caufes of fome very firange, but certain, 
Matters of Fatt. It has puzrl'd the Philofophers of all Ages, to give 
an Account how Parts of Vegetables and Animals, Real Sea-Shells ang 
Subjtances fhould be found remote from the Seas, wherein they feem to 
have been produced and bred. ‘This Phenomenon will appear ftranger, 
when it is made out, that many of the Subftances, as for inftance, Co- 
rals, Echini marini, the Palats and Tongues of Fifhes hereafter de- 
Icribed, and which now live and breed in the Seas adjoining to Jamaica, 
and no nearer than fome few Degrees on this fide, are found in as great 
plenty in the Inland Parts of England imbedded in the Earth, Clay, 
Sand, Chalk, or Stone, as if it had once been the natural Place of their 
Produétion and Increafe. This I was very much furpris'd to find. 
Thefe matters of Faét being certainly laid down, may perhaps afford 
fome Hints for the more clear Reafonings and Deduétions of better 
Heads ; And I know not but that the feveral Species of new Ferns, and 
fome Plants by me found there, and here defcrib'd and figur'd, may be 
— difcover'd upon fome of the Stones or Slates called Werk, which lie in 
plenty in the Strata over the Cole-pits in many Places of England. 
Thefe Plants and their Impreffions are of feveral Kinds, and many of 
them are not to be reduced to the Ferns or Plants, found in England 
or the adjoining Countries. His Grace the Duke of Beaufort has done 
me the honour to give me fome of thefe Slates he had in Glocefterfhire; 
Dr. Richardfon from Yorkfhire has communicated feveral of them to 
me ; as bas alfo Mr. Beaumont from Somesfetthire... 
Upon the firft Difcovery of the Weft-Indies, feveral People went thither 
on the Account of obferving its Natural Produétions. The firft that I 
read of is one Codrus an Italian, who went from Spain for that pure 
pofe. The Difcoveries he made were but few, or not communicated to 
the World : ‘The only Account we have of him, is in Peter Martyr’s 
Decads, wherein that Elegant Writer acquaints the Pope, what News 
they then bad in Spain, from the Weft-Indies. Hernandez was fent 
-by the King of Spain, to fearch after Natural Produétions about Me- 
xico 5 He defign’d and defcrib'd many of the things he met with, at the 
Expence of 60000 Ducats ; his Papers were put into the hands of Nardus 
Antonius 
