Bale. t±^ 
and copious ; and the view he has given, in 
a fliort compafs, of the various opinions 
relating to the origin of thefe bodies, as 
held by the writers of the laft, and the 
beginning of the prcfent century, is very 
fatisfadory. 
His Synopfis the animals and vegetables 
bf the neighbouring fea and coaft, proves 
his intimate and critical knowledge of his 
fubjefts ; and being embellifhed with feve- 
ral good copper-plates, renders his book a 
real acquifition to fcience. 
It is highly probable, that, from their 
vicinity to each other. Dale owed to Mr. 
Ray, his attachment to natural hiftory, 
and tht great proficiency he fo early made 
in that ftudy. We find Mr. Ray acknow- 
ledging his affiftance in collefting, and ex- 
tricating the fynonyms of plants, corred- 
ing errors, and fupplying omiffions, for his 
Hijloria Plantarum^ of which the imprima-* 
tur beats dat$ 1685, when Dale could 
not be more than 26 years old. 
Dale was the author of feveral com- 
munications to the Royal Society, which 
8 w^ere 
