CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 151 



clearly discern ; but an intelligent gentleman, who was 

 very diligent in observing the same bird, said it was the 

 former way. 



Black Notley, Aug. 13, 84. 



Dr. ROBINSON to Mr. RAY. 



SIR, My own private common-place books do afford 

 some odd, and, as 1 think, useful observations and expe- 

 riments upon plants, especially those called, and vulgarly 

 esteemed poisonous ones ; which, if judiciously mixed, 

 prepared^ and managed, may prove the most powerful 

 and beneficial medicines in nature, I mean internally 

 given ; for they may be so ordered as to work very agree- 

 ably, what way soever one pleases, as by vomit, stool, or 

 else by sweat only, and urine, or else insensibly, and not 

 without such success as can scarce be expected from any 

 other vegetables, or from any animal or mineral substances 

 whatsoever ; but I will defer this to a particular paper, 

 having not at present my notes and records of my trials 

 by me. 



London, August 29, 84. 



Mr. RAT to Dr. ROBINSON. 



SIR, Much controversy hath of late been concerning 

 the origin of those shell-like stones found in the earth, 

 either scattered or amassed, in many places both in 

 England and beyond the seas : that they were the very 

 shells of some sea-fish or got this figure by being cast in 

 some animal mould, is the opinion I have declared myself 

 to be most inclinable to, as you may see in my Travels 

 at large, from p. 113 to p. 131. In favour whereof I 

 shall add farther : 



