3 io ^ Tr e.a t i se on 
Pliny fpeaks of Bdellium thus. u Near thisPlaee 
“ (fays he) is Battriana, where the Bdellium is very 
“ famous. It is a black Tree, of the Bignefs of 
an Olive, with a Leaf like the Oak, and a Fruit 
“ and Nature like the wild Fig-Tree. Its Gum 
“ fome call Brcchon y others Mclachran^ others Mai- 
“ dacon, and when it is black, and in large Maffes, 
iC Hadrobolon, It ought to be tranfparent, like 
u Wax, of a quick Smell, and, when rubbed be- 
<c twixt the Fingers, fat, and of a bitter Tafte 
“ without Acrimony. It grows in Arabia , in In - 
“ dia^ and Media , and at Babylon. Some call that 
which is brought from Media y Peraticum. This 
tc is more brittle, dry, and bitter *, but the Indian 
“ is gummous, and moifter.” 
By thefe Accounts we may difcover how uncer- 
tain the Hiilory of Bdellium is in the Writings of 
the Ancients. Nor have the Arabians thrown any 
greater Light upon it ; fince Serapio makes two 
Kinds of Bdellium : One from Judaea , which Avi- 
cenna calls Mechel Juddicum , and which feems to be 
the Bdellium of Diofcorides \ another which he tells 
us is the Fruit of a certain Plant refembling a Palm- 
Tree. This Avicenna calls Mochel Mecchenfe. 
Neither are the modern Authors agreed upon this 
Head. For fome, according to Matthiolus , have 
fuppofed Myrrh to be the true Bdellium. Some, 
fays Clujius , believe Anime to be the true Bdellium. 
Others, as Olivus teftifies, underftand by the Word 
Bdellium , the precious Stone called a Carbuncle *, 
others. Cry Hal. C. Bauhine , in Matthiolus y men- 
tions fix different Sorts of Bdellium. 
The firft is in large Glebes, of a reddifh Colour, 
and, when it is broken, flies into a great Number 
of fmall Grumes, moderately fhining. 
The fecond is in fmall Glebes, of a browniih 
Colour, within reddifh, and dividing, when broken, 
into 
