CORRESPONDENCE OF HAY. 403 



insects is much larger than was ever imagined ; for in the 

 parts only near Upminster, in Essex, where I then lived, 

 I discovered above thirty distinct species of them, both 

 male and female most of them, and saw many of them in 

 their coit, how they deposit their eggs, &c. 



W. D[ERHAM]. 



Mr. RAY to [Mr. PETIVEK?].* 



SIR, I thank you for the information and philosophic 

 intelligence given in your last. I shall not at present 

 answer-to the particulars therein contained, because I am 

 in some doubt whether this letter will find you in London. 

 The subject of this is to acquaint you, that the under- 

 takers for publishing my Supplement. Histor. will not 

 begin to print till they have the whole copy entire deli- 

 vered up into their hands (perhaps not then neither) ; yet, 

 to take away all excuse and pretence of delay from them, 

 I am resolved to satisfy them in this particular, and have 

 done what I can toward the perfecting of it myself, so 

 that I only want your and Dr. Sherard's additions and 

 corrections ; which cannot possibly so soon be prepared 

 and entered in the body of the book, as that there will 

 remain time enough to print it this summer, and therefore 

 must necessarily be cast into an appendix. 



As for what I have done myself, I have entreated Dr. 

 Sherard to revise and correct it, expunging what is re- 

 peated, and adding what is wanting ; with whom I pray 

 you also to join, being the best skilled in Oriental and 

 indeed all exotic plants of any man I know, as having 

 seen various specimina of the same species in all their 

 states, and a man of the greatest correspondence of any 

 in England as to these matters. 



The plants in your Centuries I would willingly but 



* This letter is numbered in a scries, in which are contained several letters 

 addressed to Mr. Petiver, and it is probable, from their subjects, that they 

 were all written to him. 



