LETTER!. 7 



upon by reafon of the great Heat which opens the 

 Pores, ^c. And indeed were I a Phyfician, I 

 might perhaps infifl on the felf fame Qualities 

 in regard to all other kinds of Medicines, with 

 reafon enough on my fide. 



8. You have there alfo five or fix Shells that 

 are round and milk white as well as of a brit- 

 tle fubfl:ance, in Shape and Size not unlike a 

 Nonpareil Apple, or rather refembling a large 

 Muihroom before it is fully opened at the bot- 

 tom ', and it is all over fet out to the beft ad- 

 vantage, with little round Rifings that feem (if I 

 may be allowed the exprefllon) formed by Nature 

 in the moll exadt and artful fymmetry, and di- 

 flance, from each other -, being in fuch due pro- 

 portions and numbers, as to make them rife gra- 

 dually from bottom to top, I mean allowing for 

 their decreafing both in number and bulk as they 

 come towards the centre in the top. When this 

 Shell is firfl: taken out of the water, each one of 

 thefe little round Rifings is armed withjuft fuch 

 a fharp pointed Dart as we fee ifiliing out of 

 our common Hedge-hogs, both as to colour 

 and length. At Nevis we call them Sea Eggs; 

 but very improperly I think, for they are cer- 

 tainly alive, and do nimbly move thofe fharp- 

 pointed Darts, in order to prick the Feet of 

 fuch Negroes as dive to take them up. When 

 they die in the Sea either naturally or elfe by 



A 4 Poifon 



