474 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



help I shall want will be the sight of the plants in the 

 gardens in and about London. Dr. Robinson, as I re- 

 member, once told me that you either had, or could 

 procure. Monsieur Magnol's piece about method, which 

 I was promised by Dr. Sherard, but have not yet seen. 

 If you have it by you, please to lend me it for some 

 short time. I thank you for your good opinion of my 

 doings and endeavours, which yet I must not own or 

 accept as in any measure due, but look upon as another 

 ejBfect of your good will, resting, 



Sir, 

 Your much obliged and affectionate friend and servant, 



John Ray. 



Tor his honoured friend. Dr. Hans Sloane, 

 the corner house in Southampton street, 

 next the Square, Holboru. 



Mr. Ray to Dr. Ha ns Sloane. 



Sir, — I have read over with great pleasure and satis- 

 faction Frederick Martens's Voyage to Spitzberg you were 

 pleased to lend. The author seems to me to have been very 

 diligent in observing, and no less true and faithful in re- 

 lating and setting down his observations. He hath given 

 me a better prospect and idea of those very northern parts 

 than I had before. I cannot think that there is very much 

 difference in the nature and temper of sea and land, from 

 thence to the Pole itself. Several of the species of birds 

 are the same I have observed to frequent and build on the 

 islets and cliffs on om' sea coasts in England and Scotland ; 

 only I cannot but wonder that he should meet with so 

 many sorts of Lari there, which want the hind toe ; 

 whereas we met with only one here which doth want it, 

 and he too hath some rudiment of it. 



I have now a request to make to you, that if you have 

 in your Jamaica voyage, or other travels, observed any new 

 or undescribed species of birds or fishes, you would [be] 



