314 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



ARCHEOLOGY. 



Le Moine's ' Clef des Champs,' 1586. — I wish to call attention to a 

 curious old work which, although by no means devoid of interest, has, 

 I believe, hitherto entirely escaped the notice of naturalists. The work in 

 question, is an oblong quarto entitled ' Le Clef des Champs, pour trouver 

 plusieurs Animaux, tant Bestes qu' Oyseaux, avec plusieurs Fleurs & Fruitz. 

 Anno, 1586. Imprime aux Blackefriers, pour Jacques le Moyne, dit de 

 Morgne, Paintre.' It is dedicated "A Ma-dame Ma-dame de Sidney," to 

 whom there is an Epistre in old French, dated March 26, by way of preface, 

 also a " Sonet a elle mesme." According to Brunet's ' Manuel de Libraire' 

 (vol. iii. p. 974), Le Moyne was a painter, and a native of Dieppe. He 

 also wrote in French an account of an expedition to Florida in 1564, 

 commanded by Rene de Laudonm'ere, but it was never published in that 

 language. Theodore de Bry, having purchased the MS. after Le Moyne's 

 death, brought it to London about 1688, translated it into Latin, and 

 published the translation in the second part of his ' Grands Voyages,' issued 

 at Frankfort in 1591. An edition in English was published in Boston in 

 1875. Of the ' Key to the Fields' two copies are preserved in the British 

 Museum — one having formerly belonged to Sir Joseph Banks, the other to 

 Sir Hans Sloane. Both Lowndes and Alibone seem to have overlooked it 

 as an English book — probably through its having been in French. The 

 volume consists of 48 pages, each bearing two coloured illustrations, 

 twenty-four being devoted to Quadrupeds, and the same number to birds, 

 flowers, and fruits, respectively. There is no letterpress beyond the before- 

 mentioned introduction and the names, which are given in Latin, French, 

 German, and English. The mammals depicted are the Lyon, Lebard, 

 Beare, Once, Tigar, Luzarne, Wolfe, Boore, Deere, Horse, Mule, Oxe, 

 Cowe, Camell, Goate, Hinde, Hare, Foxe, Genette, Spagnelle [Spaniel], 

 Sanguin, Munkey, Ape, and Catte. The birds given are the Thrushe, 

 Jackbacker, Jay, Owle [Tawuy], Rwene [sic], Pye, Kingsfisher, Yelowhamer, 

 Greenfinche, Nightingale, Sparrow [should be Chaffinch], Staar [Starling], 

 Goldfinche, Lapwinge, Sparrow, Larcke, Thuet [Hoopoe], Linnette, Tity- 

 mouse, Robine, Greefepeacke [Green Woodpecker], Swallow, Coocoo, and 

 Bulfinche. The illustrations seem to me to be singularly good for the 

 period, — over three centuries ago, — and the colours remain fairly bright, 

 although some of them (especially the reds) have turned black. So far as 

 the domestic animals and the cultivated flowers and fruits are concerned, 

 I believe the volume might be found to reveal interesting facts in connection 

 with development. — Miller Christy (Chignal St. James, Chelmsford). 



