432 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1730, 



is a sort of character of canonization. And under this title are they received 

 into the burying-place of their ancestors, and afterwards ranked in history. 

 But in their life-time, to supply the name that dare not be pronounced, they 

 themselves choose and determine a term that serves for an epoque to the inci- 

 dents of their reign. This term we call epoque, because it is from it the years 

 of emperors are reckoned, and to it is referred every thing that falls out during 

 these years. 



The names of emperors, and the names of their epoques, are essentially dif- 

 ferent, and those of the epoques comprehend very instructive meanings, the 

 understanding which must be of great service to the clearing up of history. 

 But there is great danger lest the name of an epoque be made the name of an 

 emperor, which would double the number of emperors, supposing even that 

 each of them had taken but one epoque during his reign. No European 

 writer, that we know, has faithfully given them all; but this table presents us 

 with an exact and entire series of them. 



The inconveniency is, that a great number of emperors have often changed 

 these names of epoques. In the more ancient this is a very common disorder. 

 Han uou Ti, the first that introduced the use of epoques, assumed, during 

 his 54 years reign, to the number of eleven very different epoques. Several 

 others have followed his example, which cannot but cause a great deal of con- 

 fusion in history, if one happened to imagine, as it is natural enough to do, 

 that these names of epoques are the names of so many emperors. 



It was of importance to clear up these things thoroughly; this the table does : 

 and to avoid mistake, care has been taken to have the emperor's names or 

 titles engraved in large characters, and those of the epoques in small letters. 

 And when an emperor, not content with one epoque, has taken several, notice 

 is given of it by a star placed on one side of the first. 



^n Account of Mr. Mark Catesbyi,* Essay towards the Natural History of 

 Carolina and the Bahama Jsla?ids, with some Extracts from the first three 

 sets. By Dr. Mortimer, R. S. Seer. N° 415, p. 425. 



The author proposes in this work to give the figures of the birds, beasts, 



* Mark Catesby was born about the latter end of the year l67<). He had an early propensity to 

 the study of natural history, and tlie residence of some relations in Virginia favoured his inclination 

 to visit that part of the world. He accordingly went there in 1712, where he staid 7 years, collect- 

 ing various subjects of natural history. On his return to England, he was encouraged by Sloane, 

 Sherard, and many others, to return to America, with the professed design of describing and figuring 

 the more curious productions of nature. Carolina was fixed on in particular, where he arrived in 

 May 1722, and after having carried his researches through this country, as well as Georgia and Flo- 



