[ 2 77 ] 



the enluing autumn ; and this being repeated for three fuccemve 

 years produced a great many duplicates 3 . 



The collection being by this means much enlarged b , it oc- 

 curred, that we might frill augment it by a judicious barter of 

 thefe duplicates ; and more particularly fo with Spain, as the 

 animals of Hudfon's Bay could not be procured by his Catholic 

 Majefty but from England ; whilft Peru, Chili, Buenos Ayres, 

 and the Pliilippines, would furnifh what we only could obtain from 

 the Spaniards. 



The late Prince Mattarano, who was ambafTador from his Ca- 

 tholic Majefty to our court, was not only a fellow of the Royal 

 Society, but fometimes attended their meetings ; and this plan of 

 exchange between the two countries having been propofed to his 

 excellency, he undertook to lay it before his Royal Matter. 



The King of Spain at that time happened to be forming a cabi- 

 net of natural hittory, and therefore hVnihed that he would fend 

 orders to his governors to collect for him, and would make the 

 Royal Society a proper return for any prefents they might dettine 

 for him from Hudfon's Bay. 



The Royal Society accordingly tranfmitted a considerable 

 number of Specimens from that part of the world to his Catholic 

 Majefty in 1773 (through M. Efcarano, then refident at ou-r 

 court) ; but we have never received any natural productions from 

 South America, or the Philippines, though I havefeen the printed 



a Lord Dartmouth, then Secretary of State, and F. R. S. was likewife 

 fo obliging as to write to the governors of fome of our Southern colonies 

 for procuring natural productions ; but whether from the rebellion whi.h 

 the mother country hath lately experienced, or from what other caufe I 

 will not determine, the Royal Society hath never received any fpecimens,, 

 in confequence of thefe orders. 



b I underftarid that the old collection is now prefented by the Royal. 

 Society to the Britifh Mufeum, together with thefe additions. 



1 orders 



