An Account of a Book

Gazophylaci Naturæ & Artis; Decaf. 1. In qua Animalia, Quadrupeda, Aves, Pisces, Reptilia, Insecta, Vegetabilia; item Fossilia Corpora, marina, & stirpes Minerales e Terra eruta, Lapides figura insignes, &c. Descriptionibus brevibus & Iconibus illustrantur. Hisce annexa erit supellex Antiquaria, Numismata, Gemmae Excise & Sculpturae, Opera Figulina, Lucerna, Urnae, Instrumenta varia, Inscriptiones, Busta, reliquaque ad rem priscam spectantia; Item Machinae, Effigies Clarorum Vi- rorum, omniaque Arte producta. A Jacobo Peti- ver Pharmacop. Lond. & Regiæ Societatis Socio. Londini ex Officin. S. Smith in Coemetero D. Pauli, & Christ. Bateman in vico vulgo dicto Pater-Nofter-Row. 1702. The most Industrious Author of these Decades in Natu- ral History hath for many years last past procured at his own private Expence many and great Collections of Plants, Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Insects, Shells, Figur'd Stones, and other Fossils; and continues still to receive fresh and rich Cargoes of such natural products (many of which in perfection) from his very numerous Correspondents in the East and West Indies, in Africa, and most parts of Europe. Some Specimens whereof he hath already given in his ten Centuries, and designs a publication of others with elegant and lively Icons (besides Explications) by way of Decades, which will convey a most clear and lasting Idea of the things things themselves, and leave to posterity many noble materials towards raising the immense structure of Nature, which is not to be carried on without the joint stock of all Ages, and the generous contributions of such as think fit to promote the liberal Arts and Sciences, whose Benevolence in this kind our Author is so grateful as to commemorate by particular Inscriptions of their Names, fixt on his perennial Tables, far more durable and extensive than Pyramids, or Pillars, or any other artificial Monuments. 'Tis not therefore to be doubted but this design of our Ingenious and Laborious Undertaker will meet with general encouragement, by reason of the Beauty and Majesty of the Subject, no less than God's Creation, wonderful and useful in all its parts, to the Life of Man, and none of the least amongst the many irresistible antidotes against Atheism. One Advantage will accrue, by publishing these things in Decades, that of preserving them entire; which are too often mangled, absconded, or scatter'd by change of hands, if not utterly lost for want of some little encouragements from the publick to multiply Copies of them in the manner propos'd by the Author, who without the least affectation or vanity deserves all just and reasonable contributions for defraying his first Costs, if not for rewarding his pains in Commenting, Illustrating, Drawing and Engraving; a Proof whereof is here given in a few particulars of the first Decade. The second Decade is just finisht, and the third ready for the Press. GAZOPHYLACUM NATURÆ & ARTIS. Tab. I. Fig. 1. To begin with Fig. 1. This little beautiful American Lizard is very peculiar in the singularity of its blue Shining Tail, and is found about the Trees in Maryland. 5. The Cochineal was never yet given in its 3 different states or several changes, which by no body but the Author has till now been observed. 9. This is a very specious Plant from the Cape of Good Hope, and is rankt amongst those Flowers which the Spanish Nuns call Perpetuana, because they never wither. 12. A very elegant aquatich Plant from Virginia, bearing a beautiful Spike of blue Flowers. The Author dedicates this Table to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. Tab. 2. In this Place the Author has shewn his various Correspondents, by producing something from each corner of the World, viz. In Europe an elegant Capricorn Beetle from Norway, with a greenish Butterfly in England, not commonly met with. He discovers from Asia an odd Shrub from the borders of Persia, and a sort of Schenanth from the Coasts of Cormandel. From the Cape of Good Hope he gives you the Figures of two new woolly headed Heaths, with a singular grass from the Coast of Guinea, and a sort of Juncum or bastard Wasp from Cape Mount Serrado, these 4 from Africa; and from America we have a yellow Pimpernel with stellated leaves, there being nothing like it from the three other other parts of the World as yet discovered; to this he adds a very beautiful Beetle and an oculted Butterfly. This Table is presented to the Bishop of London. Tab. III. Tab. 3. Fig. 1. Here is figur'd a very uncommon Libella or Adderbolt, far different from all our English Kinds, with clouded Wings like those of a Locust: This was caught about Aleppo. The two next are beautiful spotted Moths, the first from America, the other from India, caught also about Montpelier, by that curious Collector of all Rarities, Mr Charlton; whereby we observe some things common to Asia and Europe, as well as America, which Dr Sloan in his Catalogue of Jamaica Plants has given us no small instance of: In this Plate are also discovered some other new Insects, Shells and Plants, with the Figure of a beautiful Humming Bird, whose Throat is of so flaming a lustre, as is scarce to be lookt on, especially if the Sun shines on it. The Dutchess Dowager of Beaufort was a generous Benefactress to this Table. Tab. IV. Figure 1. In the 4th Table he presents you with a genuine Cicada from the Cape of Good Hope, very different from any in Europe, the Philippine Adiantum at Fig. 4. is perhaps one of the oddest in Nature; this he copies from a design the Learned Father Camel, a person extremely curious in all parts of natural History, sent Mr Ray and him: He hath also received many other things very uncommon, which you will see in this and the following Decades. His two varieties of the Blatta Bizintina and his Synonyms of them are not a little curious: As also a Figure of a Stella marina from China, whose form is wonderful; he concludes with a green sort of a Sponge, which Dr Nissole, a curious Physician and Botanist, sent him from Mompelier. The Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex has the Dedication of this Plate. Tab. V. In this 5th Table are several curious and beautiful Plants from the Cape of Good Hope, with three others, one from Asia, another from America, and the last both from Africa, and and the East Indies; he likewise supposes it to be European; his Synonyms are many, and Conjectures probable: Besides these, some Shells, and a beautiful American Echinus or Sea Egg. He in this Table gives you a wonderful Aurelia or Insect Case, which by some is said to be the product of the Bengall Silk; it has this peculiar and strange, viz. at the extremity of a long pedicle or foot-stalk is adjoyned a Ring, thro which wonderful Nature fastens it to the twigs of Trees; but for a better Idea of it, I infer you to its Figure. His Encourager of this Plate is Sir John Hoskyns, one of the Masters in Chancery and V. P. R. S. Here we present you, viz. Tab. 6. First a non-descript Tab. VI. Bird from Maryland with a golden or yellow Throat; and from the same place an odd Plant with a globular white head, which he calls Randalia, from the first Discoverer of this Tribe. From China and its adjacent Coasts are two or three peculiars discovered, viz. A Fir-leaved Cypress from Chusan, an Island near Lianpo: A White Cowry from Emmy with a Saffron circle, and a very singular cristaed Barnacle from both these places, which he conjectures the accurate Rondelius may have seen by a Figure only he gives which much resembles it; the rest of the Plate is taken up with Plants from the Cape of Good Hope, and some Exotic Animals from Africa and America; from which last place he gives you a small Fly with wonderful large feather'd Horns. The Honourable Capt. Charles Hatton has the Presentation of this Table. Two elegant Cape Plants are the beginning of this 7th Table, with a Pellitory of the Wall from the Canaries, altogether different from what we have yet seen: To these succeed two Foreign Butterflies, and three English Moths, which last were discovered by a very curious Gentlewoman in the West of England, all which are wholly new. Fig 9. presents you with a Humming Bird of the largest size, with an elegant yellow speckled head, and this is the greater rarity, because it's not only the first Bird we have yet seen the Figure of from the Cape of Good Hope, but we knew none of this kind before common to any other part than America. At Figure 6 is a very odd Aurelia or Caseworm, covered with bits of twigs like some of our Caddis, this was sent him from Carolina. He concludes this Plate with a Vegetable, we are obliged to him for the clearer knowledge of, viz. the Canary Orchili, a sort of Moss growing on the Rocky Mountains in those Islands. This the Spaniards use to give a fine Dye to their Spanish Leather. Dr Martyn Lister, one of her Majesty's Physicians and F.R.S. obliged him with this Table. Tab.VIII. The greatest part of this 8th Plate is taken up with a vast large and wonderful Phalena or Moth, one of the biggest any Museum could ever yet boast of, being full nine inches between the tips of each Wing, and proportionably broad; this was sent him first from Dantzig, but came from the East Indies; the rest are some Plants from the Cape of Good Hope, with Insects and Shells from divers parts of the World, particularly a Curious Rhinoceros Beetle from Portugal, and a very elegant Capricorn, sent to him from Moscow by one of the Czar's Physicians. That Curious Observer Dr Tancred Robinson, Fellow of the College of Physicians and Royal Society has the dedication of this Plate presented to him. Tab IX. The ninth Table begins with the several changes of a little Turtle Beetle from the Philippine Isles observed there, and very accurately delineated by the Reverend Father George Joseph Camel, a person very curious in all parts of Natural History, and has promised this Author the communication of them, which will be no small discovery from so remote a part of the World. Here follows some Shells, one of which is a Balanus very singular brought him from the Isle of Ascension, which with other things the Island affords, he has given an account of in the Philosoph. Transactions, No 255. Here are 3 Papilios, two from Angola, and one from the Cape, all very beautiful with two Tipula or Water-spiders, both which the Author hath observed in some Ponds about London. But above all we must not omit a very odd Animal, viz. A Flying Quadrupede which Father Camel sent him a design of, by the name of Cato-Simius volans or Flying Cat-Monkey; the Author has described it in the Philosoph. Trans. No 277. whither I refer you, and here for its Figure, which is indeed very strange. Here are also two Algas or Sea Weeds, the last a very elegant one from the Cape of Good Hope, sent him from that curious Correspondent of his, Mr John Starremberg. The Author Dedicates this Table to Dr Hans Sloan, Fellow of the Colledge of Physicians, Secretary of the Royal Society, &c. The last Table of this Decade is compos'd of sundry curious Animals and Vegetables, amongst the first, is a very beautiful Tricolor Snake, from the Cape of Good Hope, compos'd of red, yellow and black; and a Bird from the same place, the greatest part scarlet, much resembling our Virginia red Bird or Nightingale, but is peculiarly different in having a cleft Bill; here are also some Shells Figured, and an American Scarab or Beetle, with two black orbicular velvety spots, resembling Eyes very particular; to these are added two rare Butterflies, the 1st Fig. 6. a yellowish one with spots of black and blew, the only one the Author had ever seen, the other a very elegant caudated Papilio, be-sprinkl'd underneath with curious blistery spots, shining like Silver over laid with a Golden lustre, both these out of Mr Charlton's noble Museum, which is now in the hands of Dr Sloan, who himself had before a vast Collection of all natural things, and not only from Jamaica where he personally was, but has and does daily add to them at his no small Expence, whatever can be procured both from abroad and at home. Our Author concludes with a Coralline incrustated Moss from Scotland, and a very curious blew speckl'd Corall observ'd in the Philippine Isles, by that most industrious Naturalist George Joseph Camel, from whom he hath lately received ceived several other very curious rarities, which he promises to present you withal in his succeeding Decades. He Dedicates this Table to his Benefactor Mr John Owen. The Author his Second Decade is just finished, and his third is in great forwardness, above half being already done. LONDON, Printed for Sam. Smith, and Benj. Walford, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Prince's Arms in St Paul's Church-yard. Philosophical Transaction, No 284. E R R A T A. Page 1358 l. 3. for and r. or. p. 1361. l. 2. also. p. 1363. l. ult. for had t. have. p. 1365. l. 15 for highly r. lightly. p. 1368. l. ult. for. e. c. p. 1369. l. 28. del. number. p. 1371. l. 6. for a r. the. ibid. l. 29. l. Mechanism.