128 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



like the young fry of other fishes. What your Cornish 

 Butterfish \_Gunnettus vulgaris\ is I know not. I a little 

 suspect it will prove the same with our Sea-snail, if yours 

 melt into oil as ours do. I sent you a draught of ours 

 long since with red chalk. 



I wonder as much that fishers have not certainly de- 

 termined whether salmons live upon anything save water, 

 and what ? As that horsemen have not agreed what that 

 is the foal is said to sneeze, which they call a milt. I 

 am apt to believe that water cannot be a competent sus- 

 tenance for them. Common experience tells us that they 

 will not only take a worm, or minnow, or other small 

 fish, but swallow the bait with the hook down into the 

 stomach. It is likely they take no food till what they 

 had be digested, and possibly their stomach may digest 

 very quickly. Farther, I think only the anglers have 

 made the observation of finding their stomachs always 

 empty ; but I am persuaded that, if the net-fishers would 

 open any considerable number, they would find in them 

 food indigested, which they seldom do, but sell them 

 whole. Perhaps I may give farther answer to this query, 

 and some others about Whitsuntide, at which time I 

 purpose to go to our coasts, and gather what I can. In 

 the meantime wishing you success in your studies, I 

 rest, &c. 

 Brignall, April 16, 77. 



In a Letter from Mr. JOHN AUBKEY to Mr. RAT. 



I HAVE at length gotten my desire, viz. an able 

 Frenchman to translate the real character of Bishop 

 Wilkins into French. It is Dr. Lewis du Moulin, son 

 of the eminent doctor. 

 London, May 7, 1678. 



