30 
MEMOIR OF RAY. 
After exploring the natural productions of Britain 
with so much diligence and success, Mr Ray became 
desirous of gaining some acquaintance with those 
of other countries ; and for this purpose formed a 
plan, in concert with his steady coadjutor Mr Wil- 
lughby, for visiting the Continent. They sailed 
from Dover in April 1G63, accompanied by Mr Na- 
thaniel Bacon, and Mr, afterwards Sir Philip, Skip- 
pon, two of Ray’s pupils. They passed through the 
Low Countries, Germany, &c. ; traversed Italy, and 
even visited Sicily and Malta. On their return 
they spent a considerable time in Switzerland, 
where Ray is said by Haller to have discovered 
many new plants, although that was the scene where 
Gesner and the two Bauhines had laboured so assi- 
duously. The result of his foreign travels was given 
to the public In 1673, under the title of “ Ob- 
servations topographical, moral, and physiological, 
made in a journey through part of the Low Coun- 
tries, Germany, Italy, and France.” Mr Willughby 
separated from the party at Montpellier, and made 
a tour through Spain, an account of which is like- 
wise included in the volume. 
When he returned home, Ray continued to pro- 
secute the study of British plants with unremitting 
assiduity, and to make excursions to the more re- 
mote parts of the country to ascertain their locali- 
ties. On these occasions he was usually accompa- 
nied by Mr Willughby or some other scientific friend, 
and his researches were not confined to plants, but 
