Extract of a Letter from Mr. Edmund Pitt, Alderman of Worcester, a Very Knowing Botanist; Concerning the Sorbus Pyriformis

make an unsupportable Ulcer, and all the foot cor- rupts. In the Kingdom of Congo, there are Serpents twenty five foot long, which will swallow at once a whole Sheep. The manner of taking them is thus: When they lie to digest what they have eaten, they stretch themselves forth in the Sun: which the Blacks seeing, kill them. And having cut off their Head and Tail, and embowel'd them, they eat them; and ordinarily find them as fat as Hogs. There are here a great number of Ants, and of that big- ness, that the Author reports, that being one day sick in his bed, he was forced to order himself to be carried out of his room for fear of being devoured by them. As it often happens to those of Angola: where you may also find in the morning, the Skeletons of Cows devoured by these Ants in one night. Amongst other fair Fruit Trees in Brazil there is one, whose Fruit is called Niceffo: which hath this remarkable, that it hath but two Leaves; whereof each is able to cover a man. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Edmund Pitt, Alderman of Worcester, a very knowing Botanist; concerning the Sor- bus Pyriformis. Last year I found a Rarity growing wild in a Forest of this County of Worcester. It is described by L'Obelius under the name of Sorbus Pyriformis: as also by Mathiolus upon Dioscorides. And by Bauhinus, under the name of Sorbus Procer. And they agree, that in France, Germany, and Italy they are commonly found. But neither these, nor any of our own Country-men, as Gerard, Par- kinson, Johnson, How, nor those Learned Authors Merret or Ray, have taken notice of its being a Native of England. Nor have any of our English Writers so much as mention'd it. Saving, that Mr. Lyte, in his Translation of Dodonaeus, describes it under the name of the Sorbo-Apple. But faith no more of the place, but that it groweth in Dutch- Land. It resembles the Ormus or Quicken Tree; only the Ormus bears the Flowers and Fruit at the end. This, on the sides of the Branch. Next the Sun, the Fruit hath a dark-red blush: and is about the bigness of a small Juneting Pear. In September, so rough, as to be ready to strangle one. But being then gather'd, and kept till October, they eat as well as any Medlar. Thus far the Letter. Q. Whether a Verjuice made of this Fruit, either ground with Crabs, or Grapes, or if plentiful, alone, would not, being kept for some time, prove one of the best acid-astringent Sauces, that Nature affords. A Relation of a Child which remained Twenty six years in the Mothers Belly. Taken out of the Journal des Scavans; being the Extract of a Letter written from Toulouse 22 June to the Author of that Journal, by Monsieur Bayle, M.D. The said Author premises, that there having been many different Reports of this matter: Monsieur Bayle took the pains to give an exact account, as well of the Infant, as of what accidents befell the Mother during her being big with It. Taking also the Figure of the Infant, as it was seen of the whole Town. Margaret Mathew, Wife of John Puget, Shearman, being with Child 1652, perceived about the end of the ninth Month of her bearing, such pains as Women usually have, when about to fall in Labour. Her Waters also brake: but no Child follow'd. For the space of Twenty years, she perceived this Child to stir: with many troublesome Symptoms accompanying. Which made her from time to time, to desire the Chirurgeon to open her Belly, and take out this grievous burthen. But for the six last years, she perceived not the Child to move. Being lately fail'n sick, she requested the Chirurgeon to open her when she was dead. She died 18 June this year 1678. She was opened the next day, and a dead Child was found in her Belly, out of the Womb, no way joyned or fastened to it. The Head downward; the Buttocks hanging toward the left side; The Arms and Legs in the posture the Figure represents.