CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 83 



phenomena, of which you will have an account from ]\Ir. 

 Oldenburgh. I made them in order to some queries I sent 

 him formerly, and especially while saps may not be found 

 at all seasons of the year in a much like quantity and 

 consistence, ***** part of a plant, &c. 



The place in Aristotle is ' Hist. Anim.' lib. ix, c. 39. 

 "Aranei statim cum editi sunt, fila mittunt, non intrin- 

 secus tanquam excrementum, ut Democritus ait, sed ex- 

 trinsecus de suo, corpore veluti corticem, aut more eorum 

 quae suos villos ejaculantur, ut Hystrices." Concerning 

 which passage I pray see Redi, p. 170, and give me your 

 opinion how you understand the Greek text : this inter- 

 pretation is Gaza's. I will also transcribe for you Pliny 

 upon the place, lib. xi, c. 24. " Orditm^ telas, tantique 

 operis materise uterus ipsius sufficit ; sive ita corrupta alvi 

 natura stato tempore (ut Democrito placet) j sive est 

 qusedam intus lanigera fertilitas." My sense I have set 

 down among the queries I sent Mr. Oldenburgh. Here is 

 a fair hint for the darting of threads, if it be not absolutely 

 so to be understood ; but, for their sailing and mount- 

 ing up into the air, as yet I find the ancients were silent, 

 and I think I was the first who acquainted you with it ; 

 but that is best known to yourself, and I challenge it 

 only by way of emulation, not envy, there being nothing 

 more likely than that several persons following the same 

 studies, may many of them light upon one and the same 

 observation. I am no Arcana man, and methinks I would 

 have everybody free and communicative, that we may, if 

 possible, considering the shortness of our lives, participate 

 with posterity. 

 York, March 21, 1670. 



Mr. Ray's Answer to Dr. Lister's last. 



Most dear Friend, — Since the receipt of your last, I 

 have fallen into .a feverish distemper, which is now turned 



