CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 285 



you say, " Quod non verisimile videtur quodvis animal 

 a natura ita factum esse, ut cibi deglutiti partem aliquem 

 vomitu semper aut etiam frequenter rejicere debeat." I 

 should here inquire whether the castings of hawks, which 

 you know constantly throw up lumps of flix, or feathers, 

 or down, &c. (the wild as well as the reclaimed), bring 

 any of the food up with them. In fol. 309, I presume 

 there is an error in the print, i. e. Hirundines for Hiru- 

 dines. You see, sir, how confidently, not to say impu- 

 dently, I trouble you with what I myself cannot believe 

 will deserve your considering ; but, however, this shows 

 you I read what you give (though not with that advan- 

 tage which a man of a wiser head would do), and it is 

 an evidence, likewise, that I rely very much upon your 

 candour and friendship to forgive such impertinencies. 



Jan. 9, 1694. 



Mr. BAY to Dr. HANS SLOANE. 



Black Notley, Feb. 3, 95. 



SIR, Your extraordinary kindness merits great thanks 

 from me, and your ingenuity, in being willing so frankly 

 to communicate to me the sight and use of your labours, 

 no less, but I am not free to make use of them till pub- 

 lished, lest I should in any measure prejudice the sale, 

 by rendering the contents not absolutely new to the world ; 

 but as for the reputation of being first author and dis- 

 coverer, I hope I shall not prejudice that, because I shall 

 acknowledge of whom I had them, with as ample a 

 character of the benefactor and contributor to my work 

 as he justly deserves. 



I am much of your temper as to the clearing up of 

 obscurities, and 1 doubt not but you have done more in 

 that, in reference to Hernandez, than any man yet hath ; 

 and I should be very glad to see your papers, but I am 

 in no haste. I shall not be able to finish my Supplement 



