xvi AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



we may become better acquainted with the 

 hiflory of their migrations. 



During my ftay in China and other foreign 

 places, I have been exceedingly attentive to 

 the exterior afpecT: of the inhabitants, their 

 drefs, cufloms, religion, manner of fubfiftance, 

 trade, &c. but efpecially to the condition of 

 the country, the foil, the quadrupeds, amphi- 

 bia, fifh, birds, infers ; likewife the trees, 

 herbs, plants, feeds, &c. of which I have 

 brought a gopd many with me. Moll new 

 plants and other natural bodies I have de- 

 fcribed in Latin d , that foreigners might like- 

 wife avail themfelves of thefc defcriptions : but 

 fume few run in my mother tongue, on account 

 of thofe who underftand no other. I have mi- 

 nuted the particular fpot in which I found 

 every plant, fuch as plain, mountain, valley, 

 whether in fhade, &c. becaufe 'an ignorance of 

 fuch circumftances frequently fruftrates the la- 

 bour and expence ufed in the cultivation of fo- 

 reign plants. 



d In the German tranflation thefe defcriptions are not 

 in Latin, for which reafon I have tranfiated them into 

 Etglijb. 



I HAVE 



