819 



point out to us an old pear-tree, which tradition says was planted by 

 Ray ; its hollow trunk bears evident marks of great age, but the tree 

 still retains considerable vigour, and yields an abundant crop. 



As the day proved delightfully fine, we rambled about to notice the 

 Natural History of the village ; and although we did not find any- 

 thing very rare, yet every object seemed to derive additional interest 

 from its locality. A quiet little stream glides noiselessly through the 

 meadows below the church, and on the opposite side of it is a pictur- 

 esque wood. Near the former we observed the willow-wren [Sylvia 

 Trochilus), the lesser whitethroat [S. Curruca)^ the blackcap iS. atri- 

 capilla) and the nightingale [S. Luscinia). The banks of the stream 

 abound with several species of Libellula. In the meadows and ad- 

 joining wood we saw the speckled wood butterfly {Hipparchia Mge- 

 ria), Argynnis Paphia, Vanessa Polychloros, V. 16, Polyommatus 

 Alexis, Pamphila sylvanus, &c. 



Among the plants noticed were Ranunculus arvensis, Reseda Lute- 

 ola, Scleranthus annuus, Cerastium aquaticum, Malva moschata, Eu- 

 onymus europaeus. Genista tinctoria, Trifolium ochroleucum, Pyrus 

 communis, Sison Amomum, Torilis infesta. Viburnum Opulus, Peta- 

 sites vulgaris, Pyrethrum Parthenium, Campanula hybrida, Lycopus 

 europaeus, Mentha sylvestris, Chenopodium polyspermum, Tamus 

 communis, Carex pendula. Milium effusum, Melica uniflora, Festuca 

 loliacea, Polystichum aculeatum, &c. 



After having finished our ramble, and having partaken of such pro- 

 vision as the inn afforded, we set out on our return home, thus con- 

 cluding a very agreeable and interesting excursion to a spot, which 

 must be deemed by every naturalist to possess something of a sacred 

 character. And although the labours of Ray are little known in his 

 native village, it is pleasing to reflect that by the public generally his 

 works are increasingly valued. 



We cannot perhaps better conclude this notice of our excursion 

 than with the following brief sketch of the life and works of John Ray. 



Ray was born in 1628; and although his father was in so low a sta- 

 tion of life, he contrived to give him a liberal education. He was sent 

 when young to the grammar-school at Braintree, and afterwards en- 

 tered Trinity College, Cambridge, where, in 1649, he obtained a fel- 

 lowship, and took the degree of Master of Arts. In 1651 he was 

 appointed Greek Lecturer, and in 1667 was elected Member of the 

 Royal Society. The work by which he is best known to the public, 

 is his ' Wisdom of God in Creation,' an original and extraordinary 

 work in its day, and one replete with philosophical detail, which 



