CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 147 



being a specific against agues, puts me in mind of a pre- 

 scription I had from a physician in Nottinghamshire, to 

 prevent, or divert the fit of an ague, viz. a Seville orange 

 entire, rind and all, eaten up, an hour, as I remember, 

 before the accession. 



Though the Ficus indica [Cactus opuntia, Linn.] be so 

 frequently found growing plentifully in Italy, that one 

 would be apt to think it were a native of that country, 

 yet doubtless it is originally a stranger and an American, 

 and was first planted there wheresoever it is found, 

 where probably afterward it might propagate itself by 

 seed ; as is also the Conyza acris alba canadensis annua 

 \Eriget^m canadense, Linn.], which yourself and some 

 others nave observed to grow as a wild plant about 

 Paris. 

 Black Notley, June 16, 84. 



Dr. ROBINSON to Mr. RAT. 



SIR, I have sent you two Macreuses, male and 

 female, and hope they will come safe to Black Notley. 

 My' ingenious and worthy friend Mr. Charlton (now at 

 London) procured them for me at Paris, who hath them 

 both designed to the life in proper colours by the most 

 accurate hand in France. If you saw the pictures, I 

 believe they would give you a better insight than these 

 skins, which are a little broke and changed ; yet never- 

 theless your most discerning faculties may discover that 

 in the dark which few can distinguish at noonday. This 

 Parisian bird (very famous of late) may be no unwelcome 

 subject, it being in Lent, and upon maigre days, the 

 greatest dainty of convents. I have been told by several 

 of the most learned priests beyond sea, that the Macreuse 

 was as much a fish as the barnacle (and indeed I am of 

 the same opinion), that the blood was the same in every 

 quality with that of fishes ; as also the -fat, which (as 



