.256 Dr. A f z E L 1 u s V Obfervations on the Genus Paufiis. 



of either of thofe countries, or of both, or of neither ; in one word, 

 that its habitat was not known to him; and therefore he very pru- 

 dently avoided affigning to it any.— This being the cafe, it is quite 

 unaccountable how Fuefsly, Gmelin, Herbft and Fuefsly's tranfla- 

 tors could do it, without fuppofmg a mifreprefentation of Linne's 

 text, as I am certain they knew nothing of the infeft, but what they 

 had learned from his diflertation. 



Fuefsly tells us, " it was found amongft a number of other infects 

 which the celebrated Dr. Fothergill of London had gathered in 

 North America." But neither was Dr. Fothergill ever in America, 

 nor is this infect a native of that country, as far at lead as we yet 

 know. This double blunder has neverthelefs been faithfully tran- 

 fcribed by Herbft ; but Gmelin has fatisfied himfelf with only the 

 wrong habitat. Fuefsly's tranflators have made two alterations in 

 his text; the one equally erroneous as the original, in faying that 

 this fpecies was found in a collection of infects from South Ame- 

 rica and the other; a real amendment, in excluding the ftarement 

 of Dr. FothergilPs having collected it himfelf in America. 



Thunberg has very properly not attempted to fay from whence 

 it came; but Fabricius mentions Africa, from the authority of the 

 cabinet of the Right Hon. Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart. K. B. and I have 

 no doubt but that this is its true native country; not however 

 the whole continent of Africa, but its weftern coaft, within the 

 Tropics, on this fide of the Line; at leaft it is certain that the two 

 fpecimens of it now in London, one belonging to Sir J. Banks, and 

 the other to Mr. Drury, were both lent from thence by Mr. Smeath- 

 man. .And it is fo much the more probable that the infea Linne 

 got, likewife came from him ; for I underftand he was particularly 

 patronized by Dr. Fothergill, and amongft other curiofities alfo fent 

 him many infects from that part of Africa which he vifited. 



5 Now 



