Extracts of Two Letters, Written by Dr. Garden of Aberdeen; One concerning the Causes of Several Winds, etc. to Dr. Plot: The Other concerning the Proboscis of Bees; etc. to Dr. Middleton

Extracts of two Letters, Written by Dr. Garden of Aberdeen; one concerning the Causes of several Winds, &c. to Dr. Plot: the other concerning the Probolcis of Bees; &c. to Dr. Middleton. Extract of the first Letter. THO the Observations I have yet by me concerning Weather be both few and of no great moment, yet I cannot refuse to impart them to the Philosophical Society, being they are pleas'd to call for them. They are such as I doubt not they have heard of already, and I give my conjecture about them meerly to excite others to enquire more narrowly into the truth of the matters of fact, and from what causes they may proceed. They relate chiefly to the Weather between the Tropicks, and I presume to transmit them to you in this paper and shall range them under these heads. 1. Concerning the winds which under the Line blow continually from East to West. 2. Anent the Western winds which are still to be found for some degrees on this side the Tropick. 3. Concerning the stated changes of the Eastern winds, blowing the one half of the year from the North-East and the other half from the South-East. 4. Concerning the stated Winters and Summers which are to be found at one time in distant places of one and the same Country. 5. The singularity of Peru as to this beyond any other part of the Earth. 6. Concerning the strong and lasting winds which blow over almost all the known Earth about the Equinoxes. As to the first, it is generally known that there are continual Eastern winds under the line which they call Liris, and therefore the accounts of Spanish Voyages bear, that in their going to the West-Indies they sail Southwards from Spain along the Coast of Africk, till they be beyond the Tropick of Cancer within 20 degrees of the line, where they presently find an Easterly wind, and and so they sail on Westwards with full winds, so as they have scarce any need to touch their sails in the whole Voyage: and this they give as the reason why the Voyage from Spain to the West-Indies is shorter, more easy and more assured than the return to Spain. In the South Sea also going from new Spain or Peru to the Philippines or China, their Voyage is easy failing always from East to West near the line, where the Easterly winds blow in their Poop. Acosta reports that in the year 1584 there went a Ship from Callao in Lima to the Philippines, which sailed 2700 Leagues without sight of Land and this in two months, without want of wind or any torment, and their course was almost still under the Line. For from Lima which is 12 degrees to the South he came to Manilla which is as much to the North. Now these continual Easterly winds between the Tropicks I suppose to proceed both from the motion of the Earth and the Vertical influences of the Sun after this manner. As you know the vast fluid and Aether in which the Earth floats in its annual motion, moves forward with the Earth in that motion, or rather carries the Globe of the Earth along with it; even so the Atmosphere and a large Vortex of Aether beyond the Moon goes round with the Earth in its diurnal motion, which tho' according as it is removed from the Earth it may be proportionably slower in its motion, yet that portion of the Atmosphere which is nearest the Earth and surrounds it, may be supposed to keep equall pace with the Earth in its motion, and if there were no changes in the Atmospher's Gravity, I suppose it would always go along with the Globe of the Earth from West to East in an uniform motion, which would be wholly insensible to us. But that portion of the Atmosphere under the Line being extremely rarified, its spring expanded, and so its gravity and pressure much less than the neighbouring parts of the Atmosphere, and consequently uncapable of the uniform motion to the East, East, it must needs be prest Westwards, and make that continual Brise from East to West between the Tropicks. As to the second, the same accounts bear, that on this side the Tropick about 28 or 30 degrees there are to be found constant Westerly winds, and therefore the Spanish fleets from the West Indies do not return the way they went, but those both from Peru and new Spain sail along the Coast Northward till they touch at Havana in Cuba, and being joyn'd together there, they seek their height without the Tropicks, where presently they find Westerly winds which serve them till they come in view of the Azores, and from thence to Sevill. In like manner in the South Sea those which return from the Philippines or China to Mexico, to the end they may recover the Western winds, mount a great height till they come right against the Islands of Japan, and discovering California, they return by the Coast of new Spain to the port of Acapulco, from whence they parted. So that tho' they sail easily from East to West in both Seas within the Tropicks, for that the Eastern winds reign there; yet returning from West to East they must seek the Western winds without the Tropicks in the height of 27 degrees. Now the reason of this seems to me clearly deducible from the former; for the pressure of the Air between the Tropicks being continually less than the neighbouring parts of the Atmosphere, and so consequently by them pressed Westward, way being thereby given to the neighbouring Air for some degrees without the Tropicks, its motion from West to East is proportionably encreast beyond that uniform motion it would have if the whole Atmosphere were of an equall pressure, and consequently there will blow a constant wind from West to East for some degrees beyond the Tropicks. The third thing I have had occasion to observe is, that by what I can collect from the accounts of Eastern Voyages, those Easterly winds between the Tropicks do not blow blow constantly from the same point, nor directly from the East; but for the one half of the year, to wit from April to November or thereabouts, they come from the South-East, and for the other half of the year, viz. from November to April, they blow from the North-East. And these I suppose they call their Monsons and trade winds. Hence it is that they who sail from China, Japan, &c. to Bantam must wait the Northerly Monson which falls between November and April; and they who return from Bantam must go back again when the Southerly Monson comes, which is between April and November. And the Currents of the Seas are said to observe the same motion, and changes with the winds. I know not whether these Monsons do blow exactly from the same points in all parts, for it is like where there are Bays, highlands and Islands, &c. the Monsons may blow from different points; but this is chiefly to be understood of open Seas. Now these Monsons I think may be easily accounted for from what has already been said ament the cause of the continual Easterly winds between the Tropicks; for seeing the lessening of the Air's pressure under the Line, and the pressure of the Neighbouring parts of the Atmosphere thereupon occasion these continual Brises; if the Sun were constantly in the Equinoctial Line, it is like the wind would blow still directly from the East, but in that he is the one half of the year on the one side of the Line and the other half on the other, there must of necessity follow a change of these Brises into stated Monsons. For imagine the Atmosphere to be divided into two equal Hemispheres by the Equinoctial Plane, if the Sun were always in the Plane, there would be still an equal pressure from both these Hemispheres upon the Air under the Line and the Brise should be directly from the East. But now when the Sun comes on the North side of the Line as far as the Tropick of Cancer and back again, gain, there is not an equal ballance, but the pressure of the Southern Hemisphere of the Air must needs be greatest, and consequently the Brise must blow all that season from the South East, and when the Sun returns again to the South-ward of the Line as far as Capricorn and back again, the pressure of the Northern Hemisphere must needs preponderate and make the wind blow all that half year from the North-East. And this seems to accord very well with experience, for their Northern Monsons are in our Winter season when the Sun is in the Southern Signs, and their Southern ones in our Summer when he is in the Northern Signs. The fourth thing I have mentioned is the stated Winters and Summers, which are to be found in distant places of the same Countrie at one and the same time. For example the Rivers of Indus and Ganges, where they enter the Ocean, do contain between them a large Cheronesus which is divided in the middle by a ridge of high hills which they call the Gate, which run along from East to West and quite thorow to the Cape Comori. On the one side is Malabar, and on the other Coromandel. On the Malabar side between that ridge of Mountains and the Sea, it is after their appellation Summer from September till April. In which time it is always a clear skie, without once or very little raining. On the other side the hills on the Coast of Coromandel it is at the same time their Winter, everie day and nightyeelding abundance of rains; and from April to September it is on the Malabar side their Winter, and on the other side their Summer, so that in little more than 20 Leagues journey in some places, as where they crosse the hills to St. Thomas, on the one side of the hill you ascend with a fair Summer, on the other you descend with a stormy Winter. The like is said to be at Cape Razalgate in Arabia. And Dr. Trapham relates the same of Jamaica, intimating that there is a ridge of hills which runs East to West thro the midst of the Island, and that the Plantations on the South side of these hills have from November to April a continual Summer, whilst those on the North side have as constant a Winter, &c contra from April to November. From these and such like accounts it seems evident that a bare lessening of the Atmosphere's Gravity will not occasion rain, but that there is also needfull either a sudden change of Winds, or a ridge of hills to meet the Current of the Air and Vapours, whereby the Particles of the Vapours are driven together and so fall down into drops of rain. And hence it is that whilst the wind blows from the North-East, viz. from November to April, there are continual rains in the Northerly Plantations of Jamaica and on the side of Coromandel in the East-Indies, because the winds beat against that side of the hills, and so there is fair weather on the other side of these hills, in Malabar, and the Southern Plantations of Jamaica, there being no winds to drive the Vapours together. But in the Southerly Monson, viz. from April to November, Malabar, and the Southern Plantations of Jamaica have floods of rains, the wind beating against that side of the hills, whilst in Coromandel and the other side of Jamaica there is fair and clear weather. The Maps make those Mountains of Gate run South and North, and if so the Monsons must blow from other points by reason of the neighbouring Countries and Islands, or else this is not the true cause of these seasons. This serves also to clear the next thing mentioned, viz. the singularity of seasons in Peru beyond any other parts of the Earth, and seems to be assign'd by Acosta as the cause of it. Peru runs along from the Line Southwards about 1000 Leagues. It is said to be divided into three parts, long, and narrow, which they call Lanos, Sierras and Andes; the Lanos or plains run along the South Sea Coast; the Sierras are all hills with some Vallies; and the Andes steep and craggy Mountains. The Lanos have some ten Leagues in breadth; in some parts less and in some more, the Sierra contains some 20 Leagues in breadth, the Andes as much, sometimes more, sometimes less, they run in length from North to South, and in breadth from East to West. This part of the World is said to have these remarkable things. 1. All along the Coast in the Lanos it blows continually with one only wind, which is South and South-West, contrary to that which usually blows under the torrid Zone. 2. It never rains, thunders, snows nor hailes in all this Coast or Lanos tho' there falls sometimes a small dew. 3. Upon the Andes it rains almost continually, tho' it be sometimes more clear than other. 4. In the Sierra, which lies betwixt both the extremes, it rains from September to April, but in the other seasons it is more clear, which is when the Sun is farthest off, and the contrary when it is nearest. Now the reason of all seems to be this. The Eastern Bries which blow constantly under the Line being stopt in their Course by the Sierras and Andes, and yet the same Bries being to be found in the South Sea beyond Peru, as appears by the east Voyages from Peru to the Philippines, a Current of wind blows from the South on the plains of Peru to supply the Eastern Brie in the South sea: and there being but one constant Gale in these plains, and no contrary winds, nor hills for it to beat upon, this seems to be the reason why the Vapours are never or very seldom driven into rain. And the Andes being as high perhaps in many places as the Vapours ascend in the highest degree of the Atmosphere's Gravity, this may probably be the reason why the Eastern Brie beating constantly against these hills occasion rains upon them at all seasons of the year. And the Sierras being it seems lower than the Andes, therefore from September to April, when the Sun is nearest, and so the Atmosphere's Gravity less, and the Vapours lower, they are driven against the Sierras into rain. The last thing I shall offer to your consideration is a- gent those strong and lasting winds which usually fall out about the Equinoctials, and that for any thing I can learn thro' all parts of the known earth. The causes of those particular, various, uncertain and unconstant winds which do blow in the Countries without the Trop- icks, and that most frequently in Mountainous places and more seldom in great Plains such as Poland, I cannot so easily conjecture: but those general winds which usually fall out everie where about both Equinoctials, seem to proceed from some general cause, and this I take to be the change of the Monsons and trade winds about these times between the Tropicks. For there must needs be about these seasons a change of the Ballance of the At- mosphere according to what I have discoursed on the third head, and this I think cannot but occasion strong winds over all the Earth. Thus, Sir; at the desire of the Philosophical Society, I have presum'd to trouble both them and you with these farther Notes I had by me concerning Weather. The undoubted truth and certainty of all these Phenomena I cannot warrant; (most of them I had from Purchas his Pilgrims, whose Relations do not now pass for fabu- lous) far less can I assert my conjectures to be their true causes. I have proposed both only that I may give you occasion to employ your Philosophical Cor- respondence on this subject also, and particularly to engage your acquaintances who go to the East or West Indies, to get particular and certain informa- tions of the stated Seasons between the Tropicks both as to winds and rains, &c, in the open Seas, the Bayes, Continents, &c; and the particular situations of the Mountains as to the Quarters of the Heavens where those different Seasons are on their opposite sides; and that your Learned Society may continue to take this subject to their particular consideration, and you may be pleas'd to favour me both with your own thoughts and those of the Reverend Dr. Wallis on this head. I do by these present my most humble Service to your meeting and am, Sir. Your most Affectionate Friend and Humble Servant Aberdein Sept. 4. 1685. GEORGE GARDEN. Extract of the second Letter. Sir, There have been two Monstrous births this year in this place, both Females: the first was two perfectly form'd Children above and below the belly, having two heads, four arms, and four legs, only the two arms which stood next other were not perfectly form'd into hands and fingers, the breasts beginning to joyn thereabouts; there was but one belly, tho' somewhat bigger than ordinary, one Navel and Navel-string tyed to one after-birth; yet there were four buttocks, two distinct fundaments, and the two privities were confounded together. 'Tis thought they might have been brought forth alive, but that they staid long in the birth, for that both heads presenting together, the Midwife thought they had been Twins, Twins, and thrust one of them always back. The other had all the due proportions of one Child, the head excepted; it having two heads, the one standing behind the other, the foremost less than the due proportion, and bowed down upon the breast having yellow hair, and wanting nothing of the due proportions of the face save one Cheek beneath the ey; the other bigger than ordinary, standing somewhat higher, having no face which they suppose to have been disfigured by the back part of the other. Neither of these were opened; the Mothers are alive. I had the account of the first from a Physician who was call'd to the Woman in hard Labour, and some women who were assistants; and the other from two Midwives who were present. Upon the River of Don, a little below the bridge near the River's mouth, there is a bank, the face of which is broken down, and it is full of stones which one would think were in fieri; they are all either round or oval, of different sizes; the faces of most of them are broken off, they are soft and will easily rub down with your hand, they are of different gritts and colours, and are made up of different sands and clays mingled together, the clay is soft both to hand and taff, in some of them white; in others gray, tho' in some places the clay and sand are hardened to the consistence & colours of such oval stones as we usually see in the fields, but where they are at the softest, the bed that each stone lies in, is always hard and of another gritt and colour. What light this may give to the Natural History of the formation of stones, I shall leave to the disquisition of others. There are some things, which, tho' inconsiderable in themselves, yet, may have their own place in the History of Nature, and will not be unacceptable if they have not been taken notice of already; I shall only mention one or two of them relating to Insects. Mr. Levenhoeck Numb. 94 and 97 of the Phil. Trans. was the first who gave gave notice of the five little Instruments which are on the head of the Bee before, four whereof are two pairs, the one being call'd by him scrapers, the other Arms, the fifth he calls the Wiper, supposing that by it they wipe off the honie from the flowers. This last is truly the Sucker or Proboscis being hollow and made up all of Circular Fibres, wherewith the Bee sucks the Honey from the flowers. The Globulets which break forth from the Attire of flowers, describ'd by Dr. Grew and Malpighius, which are all for the most part of an oval figure and of differ- ent colours, some white, some yellow, some red, seem to be bags of Liquors and are the materials which the Bees carry in for their wax, as is evident not only from the different colours of the wax upon their legs according to the different colours of the Globulets of the respective flowers we see them light upon, but for that also if you take them gathering wax from any particular flower, and view a small parcel of that wax with a Microscope you will find it to consist of the Globulets of the same flower, tho' it is not so easy to discover what Liquor they make use of to cause them to stick together. On the inner side of the hinder Legs of Bees on the joint towards the toe, next to that on which they carry the wax, there are a great many rows of yellow sharp point- ed stiff bristles, set all in order like the teeth of Combs for lint, which I look upon as the Instruments where- with they break these Globulets and prepare their wax. Sir Your Affectionate Cousen Aberdeen and Servant July 17. 1685. GEORGE GARDEN. Historiae