CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 257 



(nay, larger) are frequently taken, I thought fit to men- 

 tion this to you, not knowing whether you have seen or 

 heard of these trouts, or any other of that bigness, com- 

 monly taken in England. I am, sir, to yourself, lady, 

 and family, with all due honour and regard*, &c. 



October 25, 1692. 



Mr. AUBREY to Mr. RAY. 



London, December 15, 1692. 



are Water Blackbirds \Cinclus aquaticus] 

 about Rentcomb in Cotswald, which I never heard of 

 before, &c. Mr. Gibson, of Queen's College, Oxon, of 

 Westmoreland, saith, that in Westmoreland, eagles do 

 breed in Willow-Cragg in the parish of Bampton. 



I remember the saltpetre men told me heretofore, that 

 in ground abounding with saltpetre they find a little yellow 

 insect, as yellow as gold, which is a good indication to 

 them for saltpetre. In Mr. Wyld's woods, at Totham, in 

 Essex, an eagle was killed about eight years since, whose 

 wings extended nine feet long. Mr. Wyld has one of 

 the feathers. 



Mr. LHWYD to Mr. RAY. 



SIR, The account you have been pleased to give me 

 of your Tract concerning the Dissolution of the World, 

 makes me think it very long till I see it. Your discourse 

 of Formed Stones comes in very opportunely, and indeed 

 must necessarily affect the reader with its novelty and clear- 

 ness of argument. 



As to the fossil oysters, and my other observations of 

 late in this kind, they do, 1 must confess, confirm me in 

 my apostacy ; for 1 have been inclined to a misbelief of 

 their being mineral forms, ever since 1 found the first 



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