A Continuation of an Account of An Essay towards a Natural History of Carolina, and the Bahama Islands; By Mark Catesby, F. R. S. with Some Extracts out of the Ninth Set, by Dr. Mortimer, Secr. R. S.

XI. A Continuation of an Account of An Essay towards a Natural History of Carolina, and the Bahama Islands; by Mark Catesby, F. R. S. with some Extracts out of the ninth Set, by Dr. Mortimer, Secr. R. S. The Extracts and Account of the eighth Set are inserted in No. 441. of these Philosophical Transactions, p. 251. & seq. This ninth Set begins with Plate 61, of the second Volume; and as the foregoing treated chiefly of Serpents, this contains the Figures and Descriptions of several Quadrupeds, intermix'd with Plants. The Author begins with the most beautiful flowering Tree of these Parts, and I may venture to say, of the known World; he gives a very magnificent Figure of it in Plate 61. Magnolia altissima, flore ingenti candido. The Laurel-Tree of Carolina. The native Places of these fine fragrant-flower'd Trees are Florida and South Carolina; but they have been so far naturalized to the Climate of England, as for several Years to have flower'd in the Garden of Sir John Colliton of Exmouth in Devonshire, and at Parson's-Green, in the Garden of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Wager. 62. Putorius Americanus striatus. The Pol-cat. These Creatures, when attacked, can from some secret Ducts emit such fetid Effluviums, that neither Men, or but few Dogs, care to approach them; they have not this Scent, but when Fear or Self-preservation prompts them to it. Our Author hath seen them kept tame about a House: The Indians reckon their Flesh a great Dainty: Our Author found it well-tasted. They feed on Insects, and wild Fruit. *Pseudo-phalangium ramosum.* 63. *Lacertus omnium maximus, Crocodilus dictus.* The Alligator. Our Author hath in this Plate given a Figure of a Crocodile's Egg, which is not larger than a common Turkey's, and of a young Crocodile or Alligator, just got out of one. It is to be admired, that from so small a Size these Creatures sometimes grow to be 20 or 30 Feet long. These Monsters are not found further North in America, than the same Latitude that answers to the Northern Coast of Africa. They sometimes, though rarely, attack Men or Cattle, but are great Devourers of Hogs. They are best avoided by turning short from them; for they cannot easily turn, either in running or swimming, the Joints of their Back not being very flexible. The hind Part of their Belly and Tail is often eat by the Indians; the Flesh is delicately white, but of so perfum'd a Taste and Smell, as to make it disagreeable to eat. To this I shall beg leave to add, that these Creatures were known to the Antients in the Nile, and are described by the Name of Crocodilus, both by the Greek and Latin Writers; which Word is suppos'd to be compounded of the Words ἄγχη, littus, and στενός, timidus, or an Animal shy of the Shoar. This Species of Creatures is exactly the same with those in America, where the Spaniards first gave them the Name of Allagarto; which is as much as to say, The Lizard, by way of Pre-eminence, this being the gigantic or largest Species of the Lizard Family; the Word being compounded of the Arabic Article Al, the, and Lagarto, a Corruption of the Latin Word Lacertus, a Lizard; and from the Words Al Lagarto, our English Sailors have formed the Word Alligator. Candela Americana, foliis laurinis, flore tetra-petalo luteo, fructu angustiore. The Mangrove tree. These Trees grow in watery muddy Places, even in shallow salt Water: They are propagated not only by their Pods, which falling off take Root in the Mud, but likewise by the Branches, which, if they hang down so as touch the Mud, will take Root, and send up other Stems, so that great Tracts of Land are over-run from one original Tree, which forms an impenetrable Wood, the Retreat of small Alligators, Turtles, and various Fish of Prey. It was probably of this Sort of Tree the Forests were compos’d, which Q. Curtius mentions Lib. IX. Cap. i. * 64. Lacertus Indicus, Senembi & Iguana dictus. The Guana. This sort of Lizard is some two, some five Feet long. They are the chief Food of the Inhabitants of the Bahama Islands, where they take great Numbers of them, having Dogs train’d up to --- * Hinc Poro, amneque superato, ad interiora Indiae processit [Alexander]. Sylvæ erant prope in immensum spatium diffusæ, procerisque & in eximiam altitudinem editis arboribus umbrosæ: plerique rami instar ingentium stipitum flexi in humum, rursus, qua se curvaverant, erigebantur, adeo ut species esset non rami returgentis, sed arboris ex sua radice generatae. that Purpose; some they carry alive for Sale to Carolina, others they eat fresh, or salt and barrel up for keeping: Their Flesh is easy of Digestion, delicate, and well tasted. It is remarkable, that the Fat in their Bellies imbibes the Colour of the Fruit they last fed on. *Anona maxima, foliis latis, fructu luteo conoide, cortice glabro.* The Fruit of this Tree is eatable, and is the Food of Guanas, and many other wild Creatures. 65. *Lacertus viridis Carolinensis.* The green Lizard of Carolina. These Creatures are quite harmless, and suffer'd to go about the Houses: They will from green, by Cold, change to brown. *Liquidambari arbor, seu Styraciflua, Aceris folio, fructu tribuloide, i.e. pericarpio orbiculari ex quamplurimis apicibus coagmentato, semen recondente.* Pluk. Alm. Bot. p. 224. Phytogr. Tab. 42. f. 6. The Sweet Gum-tree. The Wood is good Timber for Wainscoating and Joiners Work; the Bark is used for covering Houses: From the Bark and Wood distils a fragrant Gum, scarce to be distinguish'd from the Balsam of Tolu. 66. *Lacertus viridis Jamaicensis.* The green Jamaica Lizard. The Pouch under the Throat doth not look red, but when the Creature inflates it through Fear or Anger. *Lignum Campechianum; Species quaedam Brasil.* Joh. de Laet. Sloane Hist. Jam. Vol. II. p. 183. Logwood. Three of these Trees grew in the Island of Providence, in three Years, to be (from the Seed) 14 Feet high, and their Trunks seven or eight Inches thick. From this quick Growth of this useful Tree, which which hath so often been the Cause of Quarrels with the Spaniards, it were to be wish'd that the English in Jamaica, and the Southern Colonies, would be induced to propagate these Trees in our own Plantations. 67. *Lacertus striatus* cauda caerulea. The blue-tail Lizard. They are suspected to be venomous. *Anona fructu viridi levi, Pyri inversi forma.* The Fruit of this and most other Anonas are Food for Lizards, and other Animals; there are none North of the Tropic. Some of these Fruits have, from their Taste, been called Custard-apple, Sugar-apple, and Sour-jops. 68. *Lacertus griseus.* The Lion Lizard. It hath got its English Name from a Fierceness in its Looks, though inoffensive. *Viscum caryophylloides, foliis longis in apice incisis, floris labello albo trifido, petalis luteis longis angustissimis.* This Plant is called Viscum, merely as being a Parasitical Plant, not that it resembles Mistletoe, it being really a bulbous Plant. 69. *Rana terrestris.* The Land-Frog. *Sarracena foliis longioribus & angustioribus; Bucanephylon elatius Virginianum,* &c. Pluk. Alm. p. 72. T. 152. f. 3. The Structure of the Leaves of these Plants is very extraordinary, they being tubulous, having a Flap at Top to cover the Opening. From the Shape of the Flower, they are in Virginia called the Side-saddle-flower. 70. *Rana aquatica.* The Water-frog. Sarracena foliis brevioribus latioribus. Sarracena Canadensis, foliis cavis & auritis. Hist. R. H. 657. The Hollow of the Leaves of this and the preceding Sort, always retain some Water, and serve as a Retreat for numerous Insects. 71. *Rana viridis arborea*. The green Tree Frog. These Frogs are always found sticking to the under Sides of Leaves of Trees, and other Plants; nay, they can fasten themselves to a reclining Glass, by the extraordinary Structure of their Toes, which are made like the Mouth of a Leech, whereby they cleave to anything. [Possibly the same Structure may obtain in the Feet of Flies and other Insects, that can walk on Ceilings with their Back downwards, assisted by some glutinous Matter.] They appear most in the Night, and are incessantly chirping chir chir, chir chir. *Arum Americanum, Beta folio*. The Scunk-weed. This Plant will bear the English Climate. 72. *Rana maxima Americana aquatica*. The Bull-Frog. This hath its English Name from its Noise, which seems not unlike the Bellowing of a Bull at a Distance. It is the largest known Species of the Frog Kind; some being near two Feet from the Nose to the Ends of the Toes of the hind Feet. The Membrana Tympani of the Ear lies quite exposed, being even with the Skin of the Head, without any Meatus auditorius. They are commonly found in Pairs in clear Springs: They devour young Ducklings or Goffs whole. Helleborine. The Lady's Slipper of Pennsylvania. It bears our Climate in England. 73. *Sciurus niger*. The black Squirrel. Their Flesh is reckon'd delicate. Calceolus Marianus glaber, petalis angustis. Pet. H. S. 5. Raii Hist. Tom. III. App. 243. Vide Pluk. Tab. 418. Fig. 2. The yellow Lady's Slipper. These will flower here in England. 74. Sciurus Virginianus cinereus major. Raii Syn. Quad. p. 215. The gray Fox Squirrel. These are larger than the English Squirrel, and are great Destroyers of Corn and Pulse. Viscum Caryophylloides, floribus parvis luteis punctatis. This is another parasitical Plant, but of the bulbous Tribe, and like a Narcissus. 75. Sciurus striatus. The Ground Squirrel. These are bay, beautifully streaked with Black and Yellow. Cornus, foliis laurinis, fructu majore luteo. The Mastic-tree. The Wood of these Trees is reckon'd good Timber; the Fruit is like a small Plum, and is sweet and luscious. 76. Sciurus volans. The flying Squirrel. I shall not say any thing here relating to the Description of this Squirrel; there being an accurate Figure and Description of one of the same Species found in Poland, by Mr. Klein, in the Philosophical Transactions, No 427. p. 30. Guajacana. These Trees have been naturaliz'd to our Climate. The Fruit dried, resembles in Taste Raisins of the Sun; the Stone split, exhibits in the Kernel the Tree in Embryo, with its Stem and the two seminal Leaves, in a more conspicuous manner than any other Seed I have met with. 77. In this Plate is represented a flying Squirrel, in the Posture of flying, with the Membranes on each Side extended. Viscum caryophylloides, Aloes foliis viridibus acuminatis, floribus racemosis luteis. This parasitical Plant is a sort of Aloe; its Root is tuberous. 78. Vulpis cinereus Americanus. The grey Fox. These Foxes live in hollow Trees, not in Holes under Ground; the Hunters drive them out with Smoak. Gentiana forte? que Periclymeni Virginiani flore coccineo, Planta Marilandica spicata erecta, foliis conjugatis. D. Sherard R. Hist. Tom. III. Dendr. 3. N. 23. A Decoction of this Plant is good against Worms; it will bear our Climate. 79. Cuniculus Bahamensis. The Bahama Coney. This Creature is rather a Marmot than a Rabbet; and its Flesh tastes more like Pig. Pittoniae similis [frutex] Laureolae follis, floribus albis, baccis rubris. In the Bahama Islands it is called Strong-back; a Decoction of the Bark is used there to strengthen the Stomach, and restore the Appetite, as the Cassena is used on the Continent. Conies, Guanas and Birds, are fond of the Berries. 80. Magnolia, amplissimo flore albo, fructu coccinco. The Umbrella-tree. This much resembles that beautiful Plant the Carolina Laurel-tree, Plate 61. but is not so high, and doth not require a particular Description. Printed for T. Woodward, at the Half-Moon; between the Two Temple-Gates in Fleetstreet, and C. Davis, the Corner of Pater-noster-row, next Warwick-lane; Printers to the Royal Society. M.DCC.XXXIX.