LETTERS TO MERRETT. 85 



Note 128] wee meet with sometimes. The last I met with 

 was taken on the sea shoare. the head and body black 

 the brest inclining to black headed and billd like a crowe, 

 leggs set very backward wings short leggs set very 

 backward {sic) that it move overland very badly only, 

 it may bee a kind of cornix marina. [The latter portion 

 very badly written and difficult to decipher.] 



\Fol. 184 verso^ That litle plant upon oyster shells 

 \see Note 91] I remember I haue seen & surely is 

 some kind of vescaria or calicularia 



of what that other [was crossed out] electricall body 

 was Mr. Boyle^^ showed [smear] by this time more 

 tryall hath probably been made, something of jet it 

 might consist of. 



I thank you that you were pleased to enquire of those 

 German gentlemen concerning my sonne I receiued a 

 letter lately from him he hath not been unmindfuU of 

 the R. Society's comds & hath been in Hungaria in the 

 mines of Gold, sylver & copper at Schemets, Cremitz & 

 Neusol & desired mee to signifie so much to Mr. 

 Oldenberg. 



[The above is hastily scrawled ; it was evidently indited 

 to Merrett, as indicated by the reference to the German 

 gentlemen, &c. ; the date would therefore be some time 

 in the year 1669. Wilkin prints it in the 1836 Edition, 

 Vol. i., p. 408, but it is not in Bohn's reprint.] 



123 The Hon. Robert Boyle (1627-1691), although deeply learned in 

 many branches of science, was chiefly distinguished as a chemist. He 

 took a leading part in the founding of the Royal Society, and was elected 

 President in i68o, but from some conscientious scruple did not accept 

 the office. Naturalists are deeply indebted to him, as he was "the first 

 that made trial of preserving animals" in spirit (see Grew's "Musseum 

 Regalis Societatis" (London, 1681), p. 58). 



