6 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



from Gloucester), where I found above forty people digging 

 and scraping, and bought a great many silver medals 

 of them ; and one incomparable fair one of gold, that had 

 been found a little before. The whole history how these 

 came to be discovered, I shall reserve till 1 see you. I 

 thought to have made strict inquiiy after the Snap-apple 

 bird [the common Cross-bill, Loxia curvirostra], but 

 falling very sick at Malverne, I was forced to give 

 over all. 



Dr. CoENELi from Naples, to Mr. What at Rome, 3 Kal. Dec. 1663. 



Viro Eruditissimo Johanni Wray. 



Thomas Cornelius S. 



Ego interea quid de Manna compertum habcam, 

 paucis indicabo. Mannse triplex genus provenit. Unum 

 trunci Ornorum per rimas sponte exsudant, diciturque 

 vulgo Manna Corporis ; alterum quod ex eadem arbore 

 incisionibus arte factis extillat, et Mannam forsatellam 

 vocant. Tertium tandem in Fraxini frondibus colligitur, 

 Manna frondis nuncupatm-. Hanc plerique ex aere in 

 frondes nocturno tempore roris instar decidere arbi- 

 trantiu"; sed ego autopsia edoctus sum illam ex ipsis 

 arborum foliis exhalari. Hanc Virgilius roscidi mellis 

 nomine significavit, cum dixit, 



Et durse quercus sudabunt roscida mella. 



Causa vero quamobrem ego ita sentiam non debeo 

 reticere. Linteo circa vesperam fraxini frondes velave- 

 ram, ut dignoscerem num Manna frondibus extrinsecus 

 adveniret ; sed mane inventa sunt foha roscido melle im- 

 buta, nee interea Linteo quicquam inerat, nisi quod ex 

 frondibus illi adhseserat. Perperam igitm' Matthiolus 

 commentario in cap. 70, lib. i. Dioscor. reprehendit Al- 

 timarum, qui Mannam ex fraxini foliis extillare docuerat. 

 Tu vir sapientissime nostras has disquisitioncs a^quo ani- 

 mo accipe. Meque ut facis amare perge. Vale Neapoli iii. 

 Kal. Dec. MDCLXIII. 



