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had feen the great Effects (upon the Bite of a Viper) 
of the Snakc-ftoneor Serpcnt-ftone, as it is call’d, be- 
fore King Charles II. who was a great Lover of fuch 
Natural Experiments ; and that he knew the Perfon 
poflefled of the very Stone he had feen tried, who 
he believed would part with it for Money. 
Upon my Defite and Requeft to fee him, he came 
to me, and brought with him the Stone, which was 
round and flat, as the common ones brought by 
Merchants and others from the Eafl Indies , about 
the Size of a mill’d Shilling, but thicker, for which 
he asked five Guineas, tho’ it was broken. There are 
feveral of this Sort, figur’d in Tab. II. Fig . 8, a , 
b, c , d. 
Dr. Alex. Stuart , who had been my Acquaintance 
for feveral Years, returning from the Eajl Indies , 
brought from thence, among many other Curiofities, 
fome of thefe Snake or Serpent-ftones, together 
with this Account of them, which he had from a 
Father Miflionary in the Eajl Indies, ‘ that they were 
k not taken out of a Serpent’s Head, but made of 
‘ the Bones of the fmall Buffalo in the Indies (by 
which their Coaches arc drawn inftead of Horfes); 
the Bones being, half-calcin’d or chard by the Dung 
of the fame Buffalo. He gave me feveral Pieces, with 
fome of the Snake or Serpent-ftones made out of 
them, and which I have in my Collection of feveral 
Shapes and Colours. 
I think the firft who gives any Account of them 
is Francefco Redi at Florence , who had them from 
the Duke of Tnfcany s Collections, and who, in his 
Efperienze Nat. tells great Virtues of them, related 
by three Francifcan Friers, who came from the 
Eajl Indies in 1 662. which were, that, being ap- 
plied 
