PLANT COLLECTORS, ETC. 117 



one short acquaintance with him. It was not safe, on 

 account of Hyder's troops, to venture to any distance 

 from the fort. He looked over my Aleppo catalogue, and 

 informed me for my consolation that I must not expect 

 to meet with above thirty of the plants in that catalogue 

 in this country. I am in hopes of a visit from Konig 

 at this place, as he talks of coming to the northward ; 

 and my brother has given him a pressing invitation. In 

 the meanwhile, I am not idle here. I have already col- 

 lected a good many specimens, and purpose sending you 

 at a venture such plants as I find marked in the Hortus 

 Malabaricus [by Rheedes], or such as I am puzzled about 

 in Rumphius [Herbarium Amboinense]. If you wish for 

 any fresh specimens for your collection of better known 

 plants, you need only send me a list, and I hope it is 

 superfluous to assure you that I shall endeavour with 

 great pleasure to procure them. . . * 



" I unluckily left Willughby x behind me, and am 

 totally unprovided with books on Birds and Fishes, ex- 

 cept a small edition of Buffon which I found here ; and 

 which, having few figures, is of little use for the Birds, 

 I sometime ago directed Willughby to be sent me, but 

 wish to have such books added as you may judge most 

 proper on the subject of Birds and Fishes in this country. 

 I likewise wish to make a small useful addition to my 

 botanical library, which consists at present, beside the 

 whole of Linnaeus, the Hortus Malabaricus, and Rum- 

 phius's Herb. Amboin. I have wrote Solander on the 

 subject, but request likewise your advice. 



" We are at present in the most delicious season imagin- 

 able. Were it not for the agreeable circles round a good 

 fire, it would chill all my faculties to think of spending 

 another Christmas in London. England has one other 

 attraction in skating ; and I am not without hopes of 

 accompanying you to Hyde Park." 



1 Omithologia (London, 1676; transl. by Ray, 1678). 



