An Account of a Book

VI. An Account of a BOOK. *Musei Petiveriani Centuria Prima.* *Rariora Naturae continens: viz. Animalia, Fossilia, Plantas, ex variis Mundi plagis advecla, Ordine digesta, Nominibus propriis signata & Iconibus aeneis eleganter illustrata.* Lond. Ex Offic. S. Smith & B. Walford Reg. Societ. Typograph. ad insignia Principis in Caemet. D. Pauli. 1696. 8°. This First Century consisting of such Animals, Vegetables, Fossils, &c. as hath been either observed by myself, or Communicated to me, not only from many very Worthy and Learned Assistants at home, but also brought me by my Kind Friends from divers parts of the World, or Transmitted from such Curious Persons, as do me the Honour to Correspond with me from several parts abroad, I presume it may not be amiss to give you some particulars of them. And First, I shall begin with the Animals, which are here Insects and Snails; amongst the former, under No. 3. is accurately delineated the *Papilio Leucomelanus*, which I do not find as yet clearly described (if at all) by any Author. N. 6. No. 6. is a pretty small greenish Fly, with golden Eyes, very beautiful to look on, but if bruised, smells strong like Humane Excrements. 9. This Beetle is taken Notice of by most Insect Writers, and is often seen flying in the Evenings about Autumn, I call him the Louise Beetle, because when taken, he is generally found to be infested with small Vermin, like Lice. The Males of these have a Copper Lustre, and the Females a Green, as Mr. Charles Du Bois, a very Curious Observer, and my highly esteemed Friend, informs me; which variation of Lustre I have observed in divers other shining Beetles. 10 And 11, are two small Green Beetles, which I have here Figured, because I do not find them distinguish'd by other Authors. The next 8, are Shell'd Snails, the first of which my very Worthy and Learned Friend Dr. Lister, makes to be the same with the Pomatia of Gesner; this is that Snail which should be used in the Shops, but by reason of the scarceness of them, they being to be found but in few places of England, we are obliged to make use of our Common Garden kind, which I have Synonimized under No. 13. These, and the two following, are all the Land-Shells, of the round Form, that have as yet been Observed in England, as is No. 17, the only Gowrie, but in Jamaica and Barbadoes there are found one very like it, which I have named under No. 18. The next by many are call'd Black-Moors Teeth, (I suppose from their Whiteness) these, in many places of Africa go as Money. Numb. Numb. 20. Is the *Asteria* or *Star Stone*, to this sort we have given the peculiar Epithet of *Slugborough*, because in former times they were so particularly taken Notice of there, that to this Day, the Family of that Name, in whose grounds they are still found, bear them in their Coat of Arms. We come next to the *Vegetables* or *Plants*, the first of which is a *Guinea Tree*, called *Aconcroba*, they find it endowed with this Virtue, that being boiled in Wine and drunk, is good in the *Small-Pox*. The five next are *Golden Maiden Hairs*, being such as have either striated or villose and downy Caps, four of which are undescribed, and two of them here *Figured*. Numb. 28. This is a new *black Maiden-Hair* from the *Canaries*, and is now growing in his Majesty's Stoves at *Hampton Court*, from which my very worthy Friend, and most accurate Botanist Dr. *Plukenet*, hath lately given a very good Icon of it in his admirable *Almagestum Botanicum*, Tab. 291. fig. 2. The two next are very rare and beautiful Ferns some time since sent me from *China*. Numb. 31. is an *American Maiden-hair*, and hath this remarkable distinction, that whereas most other *Maiden-hairs* and *Ferns* have blackish or rusty coloured Seed, this is white as Snow. This elegant Plant *James Rheed* brought from *Barbadoes*; I have also seen it amongst Dr. *Sloane*'s most Curious Collection of *Jamaica Ferns*, who, in his most compendious and elaborate Catalogue of the *Plants* of that *Island*, Pag. 20. calls it, *Filix non ramosa*. sa minor caule nigro, surculis raris pinnulis angustis dentatis raris brevibus acutis, subtus niveis. Numb. 32. Is a Malabar Tankweed, very frequent in their Tanks or Ponds; it is a very odd Plant, and not to be reduc'd to any that have yet come to our Knowledge. The three following are Plants of a strange Nature, bearing pod-like Fruit, as well below Ground as above; the first I have received not only from Africa, but Asia and America, the second as yet from Africa only, where it was first Discovered, the last is a Native of Portugal and Spain. 36, 37, & 38, Are three very rare Bacciferous East-India Trees, one of which my Ingenious Friend Mr. Samuel Brown, a Surgeon, residing at Fort St. George, assures me, is the Yellow Sanders, which is a discovery we are highly obliged to him for, having hitherto had but an obscure knowledge of it. 39. Is a Ceylon Tree called Bombu, the Leaves of which they use there in Dying, as Dr. Herman late Professor of Botany at Leyden in Holland a little before his Death informed me. 40 & 41. Are tricocoos Shrubs called Widow-Wayles, the last a very peculiar one from Malabar, being a trisolate spinose Shrub. 42, &c. Are Scorpion Sena's, the two last are very rare, they were sent me from Guinea by Mr. Edward Barter, from whom I expect many other Curiosities. 46. And the two following are East-India Bindweeds, yet I received the first from Guinea, where I find there grows a great many Plants, the same with those at Malabar, and Fort St. George. 49, &c. Are Submarine Plants, resembling Heath, the last a very beautiful one, and to be seen in the most Curious Museum of my Honoured Friend Mr. Charlton, who was pleased to give me a piece of it. 52 & 53. Are Horse-shoe Vetches, the last a Nave of Malabar. 54 & 55, Are Ferns, the first from China, and the other from Fort St. George, which being as yet undescribed, is here delineated. 56, &c. Are Mushrooms of a late Observation. 59, &c. These are six Hairy Spiked Cocks-foot Grasses, all of them very rare, some from the East-Indies, and most of them not taken Notice of before. 65 Is a Tree from Surat, called there Gumboe; it bears a Fruit like an Orange. 66, &c. Are Glass-worts, whereof two are found about Montpelier, and the Coasts of Spain, the last came from the fertile Canary Islands. 70 The Moss here Figured, is of singular beauty and shape, having at the top of a very long slender naked Footstalk, a Scarlet cap, very like a Corn Poppy Flower, with its Leaves turned downwards, resembling a small Umbrella or Bongrace. This elegant Plant was gathered near Portsground in Norway, by my kind Friend Mr. Richard Wheeler, who frequently sends me such Plants, Shells and Insects, as these parts afford. 71. And the eighteen following, are several kinds of English Muses, many of them not known before, some of which are here Figured, viz. 74, 79, 87, & 89. 90. Here are divers sorts of Like weed or Arsmart amongst them, one from the East-Indies, and another from Virginia. 97 & 98, Are two Purging Sea Bindweeds, call'd in our Shops Soldanella; the first an Inhabitant on our own Coasts, Coasts, the other common to both the East and West-Indies. 99. This is a Woolly headed Xanthium, or lesser Burdock; it's described in the tenth Volume of the Hortus Malabaricus, pag. 117. where, it's said, they use the Root bruised in Whey, as a Remedy against the Piles, and the Powder of it Cures the Belly-ach. I have also received it from Cape Coast in Guinea, where the Natives call it Tetrepoe, and boil it in Broth for the Flux. 100. This last is also of the same kind, but a Native of Portugal; the first Knowledge we had of it was from the Physick-Garden at Leyden, from whence it was brought me by my worthy Friend Dr. Lecaan. Thus you see this Century is composed of several Animals and Plants wholly new, with the Figures of many of them, there are others which are very rare, and procured from remote Parts, as Asia, America and Africa, from which last part of the World, you have some given you with their Native Names, and what use the Inhabitants relate of them. Moreover, to each Animal, Plant, &c. already described, I have made a Recital and Connexion of all the Celebrated Authors, as have yet come to my hands; so that at one view you have the several Synonimous Names of all the precedent Writers of Natural History. I have likewise quoted the different Editions of such as are Remarkable; and also, for the greater ease of the Reader, have referred him to the very Pages in which they are treated of. To enumerate the many advantages which will accrue from thus Synonimising of Authors, and the Examples of those who have already begun it, will be too tedious here to relate; I shall only therefore briefly mention my kind Assistants to this Work, and then Conclude. First, To begin with *Domestick Helps*, being such as *Natural History* as well as my self, are highly obliged to, amongst whom are Dr. Lister, Plukenet, Tancred Robinson, Sherard, Sloane, Scampton, Uvedale, Woodward, &c. as also Mr. Jacob Bobart, and his Brother Tilman, Mr. Charlton, Dale, Doody, Du-bois, Pool, Ray, Vernon, &c. not omitting my Foreign Correspondents, but most particularly the Celebrated Breynius, and never to be forgotten Dr. Herman, with several other very kind Assistants, as Dr. Lecaan, Mr. Bartar, Brown, Cholmly, Cunningham, London, Lewis, Kirkwood, Preston, Smith, Wheeler, &c. besides many others who have very lately Communicated several things to me, whose Names I shall elsewhere have shortly an occasion to mention, with a respect due to their Merits. To Conclude, this little Book is a *Century or Small Specimen of Natural History*, and being willing to promote and improve (as far as I am able) so necessary a Study, I here propose to continue the Publishing whatever of this Nature shall come to my hands. And for that purpose I humbly intreat, that all Practitioners in Physick, Sea-Surgeons, or other Curious Persons who Travel into Foreign Countries, will be pleased to make Collections for me of whatever Plants, Shells, Insects, &c. they shall meet with, preserving them according to Directions, that I have made to ease, as the meanest Capacity is able to perform, the which I am ready to give to such as shall desire them. To these, and all such Curious Persons who reside in different parts of the World, whose Inclination leads them to this Study, if there be any thing in this or the following Centuries, that they would have samples samples of, or desire to be otherwise informed, I shall endeavour to serve them, in whatever lies in the Power of Their most Humble Servant, From the White Cross in Aldersgate-street, London. James Petiver. The second Century is ready for the Press, and the Work shall be continued from time to time. ERRATA: Tractat. Numb. 223. Page 345, line 1, for Surveyor read Purveyor. p. 348, l. 16, dele of their Production the best. p. 349, l. 26, for Rue r. Reve. ib. l. ult. before Gallons, add 16. p. 350, l. 26 r. althea. l. 27, dele baccu vulg. p. 351, l. 6, for cool. r. Coal. p. 352, l. 22, for September 2d. 9—4—95 r. o—4—96. for Octob. 28 o—o—45 r. o—o—458 for April 6 2—3—375 r. 2—4—375. April 20 2—1—000 r. 2—2—000. LONDON: Printed for Sam. Smith, and Benj. Wallford, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1695.