141 Mr. Ray to Dr. Lifter, 



or corre&ing, or illuftrating fomewhat , but if you 

 have quite given over thofe Refearches, defer not to 

 put them out. If it had been my Hap to find out fo 

 many before unobferved Particulars and Experiments, 

 I fhould have thought my- felf wanting to my own 

 Reputation, had I not publifhed them in my own 

 Name $ though I confefs I have always thought, 

 that for new Inventions and Difcoveries we are rather 

 beholden to a good Genius, &yo&>Z $ouy,oviy than to our 

 own Wit or Induftry* at leaft: the Faculty and i&m 

 Tt/<r, or Shrewdnefs in inventing and difcovering, is a 

 particular Gift of God, and not conferred upon all. 

 But yet thofe Difcoveries and new Inventions are not 

 granted even to fuch Men ufually, unlefs bulled in 

 fearching and enquiring into thofe Things. #### 



Sutton Cofield July 15. — 76. 



Mr. Johnfon to Mr. Ray. 



jyiar SIR, Brignall) April i<5 '. — 77, 



WH AT I faid of Salmons being perfe£t at their 

 firft Return from Sea, I did not mean that 

 they were come to their umoft Growth or Bignels, 

 for I think they wax for f or 6 Years 5 but that they 

 were true Salmons^ (i. e.) neither Trout, Scurf e, nor 

 Grejy but bigger than any of thefe, and bring forth 

 young that Year. In the River Tees we take notice 

 but of two Diftin£Hons of Size, viz. a Salmon Cocky 

 which fome call a Half Fifh, ufually about 2,0 or zz 

 Inches > and a Whole Fijh, above that Length. In 

 the Mouth of Eden in Cumberland the Fifhers have 

 four Di(lin£fcions of yearly Growth (after the firft 

 Summer, when they, call them Free, or Frie 9 as we 

 SmowtSy or Smelts) before they come to be Lackes $ 

 and this they {ay they have curioufly obferved, by 

 fixing fo many Pins in the Fins of Yearlings, or two 



Years 



