358 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



bushy root, consisting of a number of small strings of a 

 yellowish colour, and hot aromatic scent and taste, thence 

 grows one or two smooth, at least very little hairy stalks, 

 round, and most commonly upright, not square nor 

 trailing. The leaves grow alternately on this side and 

 that, one at a joint or knee. They are thin, long, and 

 pointed, coming in like a heart at the footstalk, a little 

 hairy above, and rough with many protuberant veins 

 underneath, and in handling they stick a little to the 

 fingers. Near the ground grow one or two hollow 

 flowers, each upon its proper footstalk, different in form 

 from the Pytolochia retica, or any other yet known ; 

 all whose flowers (if authors' figures or the plants them- 

 selves dried rightly inform me) resemble a cow's horn, 

 the top growing to the rudiment of the seed-vessel, and 

 the open end cut slanting like a drenching-horn, whereas 

 this of ours terminates with a heel, which supports a 

 broad round galericulated lip, the centre of which opens 

 into the hollow of the flower. The lip of a light russet 

 or dirt colour. The seed-vessel is hexagonal, shaped like 

 a pear, when full-grown nearly half an inch in diameter. 

 It is not an evergreen, but after the seeds are ripe the 

 leaves and stalks begin to wither [and] decay. It flowers 

 in May, and its seeds are ripe in August. 



Mr. RAY to Dr. HANS SLOANE. 



Dec. 28, 98. 



SIR, I approve much your judgment of Colbatch, but 

 yet I think acids may cure the gout. There is a gentle- 

 man now living who was perfectly cured of the gout after 

 it was come to be tophous, only by drinking Tunbridge 

 waters. I thought to have put an account of Boccone's 

 second book in this paper, but I have expatiated too far 

 upon this. I thank the R. S. for so favorably accepting 



