Qq6 philosophical transactions. [anno 1749. 



be found, is on the south-east coast of Africa, according to the information Redi 

 had of it, and from which place he had the two horns figured in these Transac- 

 tions, N° 470, by Dr. Parsons, which were tied together across, the better he 

 believes to preserve the short skin that connected them on the nose of that ani- 

 mal, so that the straight and crooked horn might appear distinct, as they do in 

 a very entire small brass medal of Domitian in his collection. Whether the rhi- 

 noceros, who bore these 2 horns, be a distinct species of that animal from that 

 of Asia, future travellers must determine. 



Dr. Waldo went into the East Indies, on purpose to search after and collect 

 the natural productions and curiosities of those parts, especially such as related to 

 the cure of diseases, which he sent from time to time to his sister he left in 

 London, with directions to show them to the Earl of Pembroke, Sir Godfrey 

 Kneller, and Sir Hans Sloane, to sell. The two former not caring to buy 

 several of them, they fell into the hands of the latter. Among the rest which he 

 purchased, were some of these stones, which were by Dr. Waldo called rhino- 

 ceros bezoars, which Sir Hans supposed were taken out of the stomach or guts 

 of that large animal. 



These productions or bezoars, as they are commonly called, consist of several 

 coats made up of several parts attracted by their centres, such, as the stones of 

 fruits, and other indigestible substances swallowed with its food, after the manner 

 of those found in the stomach and intestines of mankind, and other animals. 

 The uppermost coat or layer of this bezoar is made up of several brown striated 

 small knobs or tubercles, something like low warts, distant from each other, and 

 making its outermost surface very unequal, different from the other bezoars whose 

 surface is generally smooth. Those he had of this bezoar are of different mag- 

 nitudes and diameters, the largest about the size of an orange, heavy, and as 

 hard as stone, and capable of being polished. 



Redi relates great virtues belonging to them, as told by the bringers of them 

 from the East Indies; probably on no good grounds. 



Dr. John Bateman, formerly Pres. of the College of Physicians of London, 

 told Sir H. S. with great admiration, that he had seen the great effects, on the 

 bite of a viper, of the snake-stone or serpent-stone, as it is called, before King 

 Charles II, who was a great lover of such natural experiments; and that he knew 

 the person possessed of the very stone he had seen tried, who he believed would 

 part with it for money. On Sir H.'s desire and request to see him, he brought 

 him the stone, which was round and flat, as the common ones brought by mer- 

 chants and others from the East Indies, about the size of a milled shilling, but 

 thicker, for which he asked 5 guineas, though it was broken. 



Dr. Alex. Stuart, returning from the East Indies, brought, among many 

 other curiosities, some of these snake or serpent-stones, with this account of 



