Guide to an Exhibition of 
note, furnished the final proof of the sexuality of Plants. His 
conclusions, based on a long series of careful experiments, were 
published in the form of a letter to M. B. Valentine, entitled 
De sexu Plantarum epistola^ Tubingen, 1694. 
ABOUT this period the natural history of the Cape of Good 
Hope came to be studied, and primarily by Willem Ten 
Rhijne [c.i6oo- ], physician to the Dutch East India 
Company, who sent to J. Breynius [1637-1697] some rare 
plants, of which the latter published a list and description as an 
appendix to the first century of his Exotic Plants in 1678. 
Rhijne afterwards issued a Schediasma de Promontorio Bones Spei 
in 1686. 
The Dutch East Indies were investigated by :— 
Georg Eberhard Rumpf [C.1627-C.1706], Consul at 
Amboina, who made extensive researches and observations. 
No. 56. D’Amboinsche Rariteitkamer^ published at Amsterdam, 1705, 
was a distinct advance over previous works on the East Indies : 
his more important Herbarium Amboinense^ in 6 parts, edited by 
Burman, did not appear till 1741-55 ; 
Francois Leguat [1637-1735], the French traveller, who 
amongst other things in his Voyages et avantures . . . en deux 
No. 60. Isles desertes des Indes orientales^ London, 1708, gives the earliest 
figure and description of that flightless bird the Solitaire 
(Pezophaps solitarius). 
AMONG collectors of note of the period, two call for special 
mention :— 
James Petiver [c. 1657-1718], apothecary, was an 
industrious collector, who formed a miscellaneous museum. 
He was the first discoverer of many English Plants, and assisted 
Ray. He also published (1693-1717) descriptions, with illus¬ 
trations, of specimens in his own collections, or figured in 
contemporary works. On his death his books and specimens 
were purchased by Sir Hans Sloane : among them was the copy 
of Rumpf’s HAmboinsche Rariteitkamer^ from which Petiver 
traced the plates for his own Gazophyllacium. 
Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. [1660-1753], best known as a 
great collector, and the patron of science, was also author of a 
No. 58. 
No. 56. 
24 
