124 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



all he hath is nothing else but an epitome of such and 

 such books ; but now he hath basely abused the world. 

 Mr. Oldenburgh hath pubHshed him as a considerable 

 author, and in his preface made us believe that he hath 

 advanced knowledge by giving us a perfect catalogue of 

 fishes. I am sorry Mr. Oldenburgh should be so mis- 

 taken as to attribute to such a pitiful plagiary any im- 

 provement of the history of nature ; but enough of him, 

 and for this paper. I recommend you to the Divine 

 protection and blessing, and rest, &c. 



Sutton Cofield, June 14, — 76. 



Dr. Lister's Answer to Mr. Ray. 



Dear Friend, — I am well pleased your Catalogue 

 of Plants is again to be printed : it certainly deserves it. 

 You might have commanded any service in my power ; 

 but I think the addition of the French names would have 

 been but a fancy. 



I cannot say I have anything worth sending you to 

 add. I shall only put you in mind that you leave not 

 out the vinegar that is to be drawn from Gallium luteum, 

 [Galium verum, Linn.] which I have tried, and is a 

 rare experiment, and is owing, for aught I know, to 

 Borrichius. You will see a farther account of it in the 

 Danish Transactions. 



Also you may please to remember the Fimgus pipera- 

 tics \Agaricus piper atus, Linn.], which I have yearly 

 found in Marton Woods ever since. 



Again, the fulminating powder, which the spikes of 

 Muscus Lycopod. \Lycopoditmi 8p7\ yield, I have gathered 

 much of it in Craven, and find it wiU fire briskly in a 

 flame. I gathered the ears a little before they were 

 ripe, and put them in a box, and found they shed their 

 powder of themselves. 



