144 PREFACE. 



numbers after the Englifh names of animals re- 

 fer cither to his Hiftoria Avium, or Pifcium, ac- 

 cording to the lubje(5l-f. I chofe to refer to Ray, 

 as well as barely give the Englifh names, for the 

 eafc and fatisfadlon of iuch as put a due value 

 on that ineftimable writer, whofe v/orks do honor 

 to our nation, as a late difciple of the great Swe- 

 difli naturalift juftly obferves. I cannot help fay- 

 ing farther upon this occafion, that no writer till 

 his time ever advanced all the branches of natu- 

 ral hiiiory fo much as that fagacious, accurate, 

 and diligent Enghfh obferver, v/hofe fyflematical 

 fpirit threv/ a light on every thing he undertook, 

 and contributed not a little to thofe great and 

 wonderful improvements, which have been fmce 

 introduced. 



2. I have omitted mcfb of the plants which are 

 not natives of England •, both becaufe it is not 

 eafy to find Englifh names for them which have 

 any authority, and becaufe i had fcarcely any ob- 

 fcrvations in my ow^n Calendar, but on fuch plants 

 as are native. Some foreign ones however i have 

 retained, particularly fuch as are common in al- 

 moft every garden ; and fuch as are marked in 

 the Calendar, as more than ordinary prognoflic. 

 Thefe lafl are printed in large charaders. 



3. I have retained the divifion of months ac- 

 cording to budding, leafing, flowering, &c. tho* 

 i could not imitate this method in my own Ca- 

 lendar for want of more* experience ; but i am 



t Some perhaps may think that i need not have referred to 

 Ray tor birdb fo well known as feveral mentioned in the Ca- 

 lendars ; but the want of this caution in many authors, has 

 produced great confufion and doubt about the things meant in 

 every branch of natural hiftory. 



convinced 



