118 PETER COLLINSON [1738. 



yellow flowers thee sent me, though they did not flower this year. 

 If thee meets with any more, pray get them. 



It is a great advantage, to send plants with a sod of earth about 

 them ; for, many times there comes up odd plants as it has hap- 

 pened this year; for in the sods of Herb Twopence,* is come up 

 two sorts of vegetables, the one I don't know, but one appears to 

 be a sort of Hepatica, very like ours, but that the stalks of yours 

 are very hoary, and not naked, as the footstalks of the leaves of 



ours are. 



I also send thee one of our Humming Bees, from the sound it 

 makes. These reside in dry banks ; but whether they make combs, 

 as others do, I doubt, for this year I caught one in March, and 

 whilst I looked on it, I perceived from round the neck a great 

 many young ones creep out. Now, the combs I take to be reposi- 

 tories, both for food and to lay their eggs in ; but, the way that 

 these breed, and nurse their young up by the heat of their bodies, 

 I take it there is no need of repositories for their young. Our 

 Black Beetles, breed theirs the same way. 



The jar I have tied in a parcel, with my letter, and one from 

 Doctor Dillexius, and directed to our worthy friend James 

 Logan, for thee. 



Pray, next year, look out for the flower of the Sweet Gum, and 

 the Papaw. Send a few in a little bottle or phial of spirits ; and 

 send some dried, in paper. Our friend LixxiEUS, wants them 

 much, as thee will see by Doctor Gpoxovius's letter, that I have 

 sent to J. Logan. Pray desire him to show it thee. 



Pray my love to Joseph Breixtxall. 



I am thine, 



P. COLLINSON. 



Pray describe the colours of the flowers of the Papaw, and the 

 Sweet Gum ; for they may fade so in paper, and change so in spirits, 

 that we may be at a loss to discern them ; and send the seasons of 

 their flowering and send two or three of the fairest Gum burs thee 

 can get. Pray forget not a specimen of the Black Gum, in flower and 

 leaf; for we are at a loss to know what it is ; and a specimen of 

 Black Haw [Viburnum prunifolium, L.], in flower and leaf, for 

 this we know not. 



* Lysimachia. "Herb Twopence," is one of the common English names of L. 

 Nummularia, L. 



