Mr. Ray to Sir Hans Sloane. 319 



above 30 diftindt Species of them, both Male and 

 Female moft of them, and faw many of them in their 

 Coit, how they repofite their Eggs, &c. 



Mr. Ray to Sir Hans Sloane. - 



SIR, Black Notley, Dec. 16. rymti 



A Bout the beginning of this Seffion of Parlia- 

 ment, I received a very courteous and oblig- 

 ing Letter from my Lord Bijhop of London , wherein 

 among other things he defired me to fend one of my 

 Friends to treat with him about the defign of procu- 

 ring Figures for my Hiftory of Plants. Whereupon I 

 wrote to Dr. Sherard^ to defire him to attend upon 

 his Lordfhip for that purpofe j but he being one of 

 the * Commiffioners for fick and wounded Soldiers, 

 was fent to Port/mouth) where he ftill refides, fo that 

 he could not fulfil my requeft. Yet I cannot excufe 

 him, for deferring thus long to give me notice there- 

 of, the Bufinefs requiring hafte > and my Lord advi^- 

 fing that what is done would belt be done while the 

 Town was full of Nobility and Gentry during the fit- 

 ting of the Parliament. 



Now, Sir, underftanding that you are acquainted 

 with the Bijhop^ I muft beg the favour of you to at- 

 tend hisLordfliip, and to do that which I requefted 

 of Dr. Sherard) that is, to give him your Opinion 

 whether the thing be feafible, and what Difficulties 

 are likely to occur in it, and what is the beft Method 

 to proceed in. I conceive the great Difficulties will be 

 in procuring Gravers^ and SuperviforS) to make choice 

 of the beft Patterns of Plants that are already publifii- 

 ed, and get fuch delineated as they can procure Spe- 

 cimens of} and to fuperintend the Gravers^ to fee they 



