364 CORKBSPONDENCE OP RAY. 



or caterpillars of, I have fed and endeavoured to bring to 

 their changes, though I have failed in many. This hath 

 taken me up no small time and pains ; and yet if I had 

 not taken this course I had never seen abundance which 

 now I have knowledge of. The other tribes of insects I 

 have not been so diligent and curious in observing, yet 

 have I made collections of such as came in my way. 



The next tribe I intended to have fixed upon after I 

 had despatched Papilios was Beetles, which are no less 

 numerous, and whose way of generation is the same with 

 Papilios, and which may be as easily fed and brought to 

 change as they. But, alas ! my glass is almost out, and 

 I am so afflicted with pains, that I have no heart to pro- 

 ceed any further. Indeed I could do very little all last 

 summer, and I must alii lampada tradere. 



As for a method of insects, we need no better in my 

 judgment than Dr. Swammerdam's, in his ' History of 

 Insects,' which is the best book that ever was written on 

 that subject. My wife and relatives salute you with the 

 tender of their humble services, so I take leave, and rest, 

 Sir, 



Your most affectionate and obliged friend and servant, 



John Ray. 



Tor his honoured friend. Dr. Haus Sloane, 



at his house at the corner of Southampton street, 

 towai'ds Bloomsbuiy square, London. 



Mr. Ray to Dr. "Hans Sloane. 



Black Notley, June 2, —99. 



Sir,— Since I wrote last to you, I have, with what 

 care and consideration I could, viewed and compared 

 your Maryland dried plants, and find that I can make 

 but poor work with them. They all, save one or two, 

 want roots, and I can determine the stature of but few of 

 them certainly. The figm-e and number of petala in the 

 flower can clearly be discerned scarce in any, nor the 

 colour. The seed-vessel and seed are wanting or imper- 



