Part of a Letter from Dr. Richardson, F. R. S. to Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. President of the Royal Society, and Colleg. Physic. concerning the Squilla Aquae Dulcis

"Body. Then with a green Stick, which he had in his Hand, about a Foot an half long, the Bark be- ing newly peel'd off, urged and provoked the Head, 'till it bit the Stick in fury several times. Upon this the Colonel observed small green Streaks to rise up along the Stick towards his Hand. He threw the Stick upon the Ground, and in a quarter of an Hour, the Stick of its own accord split into seve- ral Pieces, and fell asunder from end to end. This Account I had from him again at the Writing hereof." [Beverley's History of Virginia, from pag. 260, to 267.] Father Labat likewise tells us (in his Nouveau Voyage aux Isles de l' Amerique, Tom. IV. pag. 96, and 106. Ed. Paris, 1722. in 8°.) that Serpents, when they bite their Prey, retire, to avoid being hurt by them; and when dead, cover them with their Spittle, extend their Feet along their Sides and Tails, if Quadrupeds, and then swallow them. II. Part of a Letter from Dr. Richardson, F. R. S. to Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. President of the Royal Society, and Colleg. Physic. concerning the Squilla aquæ dulcis. I have met with very little of late in Natural Hi- story worth mentioning to you. One Thing I cannot omit, which I do not remember is taken no- tice of by any Naturalist; that is, the great Destruc- tion that is made amongst the small Fry of Fish by the Squilla aquæ dulcis, which abound in most standing Waters. In a small breeding Pond nigh my House, where I had formerly plenty of small Carp and Tench every Year, and of late scarce any young Breed to be met with, my Gardener not long ago observed one of the Squilla, with a Carp in its Mouth almost as large as itself; and has since observed these Insects hunting amongst the Weeds, and vigorously pursuing the small Fry. I order'd the Gardener to catch some of these Insects, and bring them home alive, with some of the smallest Fish he could meet with. We put them together in a large Basin of Water. The Insects were so rapacious, that they fell upon the Fish immediately, and destroy'd several in my Sight; and before Morning had devoured all that were in the Basin. North-Bierley, Sept. 5, 1733. Richard Richardson. III. Schema Eclipseos Solaris paulo ante solis occa- sum observatae, Vitembergæ Saxonum Die liæ Maii Stil. veter. A. Chr. cii io cc xxxiii. A Joh. Frider. Weidlero LL. D. Mathem. Superior. Prof. Ordin. R. S. S. Phases crescentis Eclipseos. | Initium, 2 Maii, St. V. | H. | M. | S. | |------------------------|---|---|---| | 1 Digitus | 6 | 36 | 5 Post Mer. | | 2 Digi | 39| 50 | | | | 45| | 5 Digit. |