i j4 Mr: Lhwyd to Mr. Ray. 



bfi and then we may hope to be able to judge better 

 of this Phenomenon. I have fent to my Correfpondent 

 to enquire farther about the Truth of the Relation of 

 .the Ear of Rye: Mr. John Aubrey writes to me, that 

 he could give a guefs how the Ear might come in, 

 but that it would not be fit to be inferted in a Let- 

 ter. In the fame Letter he acquaints me that a young 

 Cornijh Gentleman aflures him, that he has lately ob- 

 ferv'd in Catalonia^ and amongft the Pyrenean Hills^ 

 many Britijh IVords amongjl the Natives. I did not 

 think that any young Cornijh Gentlemen had under- 

 ffcood Britijh $ however this wants a Confirmation, 

 and 'tis poffible this Gentleman having pick'd out five 

 or fix parallel Words (which is eafily done out of any 

 Language in thefe Parts of Europe) took it for grant- 

 ed, from their guttural pronunciation, that there 

 might be many more. f Q He f informs me that he 

 u was prefent when a Stone was broken by Work- 

 £C men, which lay upon the top of the Ground, where- 

 " in was contained a jftiadi in Form and Colour al- 

 a together refembling the common one, tho' fome- 

 cc thing lefs$ which being laid upon the Ground 

 a crawled about as long as the Sun lhone warm up- 

 CQ on it, but towards Night died. I examin'd the 

 4C Stone (fays he) and fuppos'd it at firft to be of an 

 a extraordinary open texture, or elfe the hole where^ 

 cc in the Toad lay to have fome private communica- 

 cc tion with the Airj but upon a more flri£t enqui- 

 <c ry I found the Stone of a clofe Grit, but that place 

 6C efpecially where fhe lodged, to be of a much har- 

 cc der texture, much of the nature of the Iron Stone 

 <c which the Workmen call an Iron Band. 



Upon the reading your Difcourfe of the Rains conti- 

 nually wajhing away^ and carrying down Earth from the 

 Mountains # , it puts me in mind of fomething pert** 



\ Dr. Richardfon of North Bierley in Yorkfhire. 

 * Dijjbl. of the World, p. 44« 



nent 



