The correspondence of John Ray: consisting of selections from the philosophical letters published by Dr. Derham, and original letters of John Ray in the collection of the British Museum / Edited by Edwin Lankester.

  • John Ray
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The correspondence of John Ray: consisting of selections from the philosophical letters published by Dr. Derham, and original letters of John Ray in the collection of the British Museum / Edited by Edwin Lankester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eges in it, all exactly round, of different bigness; the largest as big as a little May cherry, paler coloured than a hen’s egg, of that bigness, otherwise not different to the eye. I have dried the fish a little with salt, &., yet not so much but that it will recover its form if soaked in hot water. ‘The tail (a foot long) was cut off (as usually) when caught, which, they say, was full of pricks, both above and below, to the very end. A/aydes,* they say, are of two sorts, the larger sort (much smaller than Thornbacks) properly called Mayre Maydest—smooth as flayre, pale coloured, not dappled or waived; the less called Thornback Maydes, full of pricks, dappled, but paler coloured than the Zhornback. Yt seems a full-grown Hayre is a very large fish. Mr. Mayfeild told me he sold one to the cook of St. John’s College of two hun- dred weight and upwards, and that it served all the scholars of the college at that time, being thirty mess for Commons ; which was likewise confirmed to me by the cook of the same college. There are male and female of all these four sorts. J cannot understand that these four do differ at all in shape of body, but only m proportion, colour, and smoothness of skin or prickles. With the fish I have put up m a box some water-fowl, viz., a Pocker |Fuligula ferina|, a Smew |Mergus albellus|, three Sheldins | Zadorna vulpanser|, a Widgeon and a Whewer | _4zas penelope]; which last two are male and female of the same kind. Widgeon is never applied to the female sex. It is usual to call a silly fellow a wise widgeon ; or to say, he is as wise as a widgeon; and a drunkard’s song saith that “‘ Mahomet was no divine, but a senseless widgeon, To forbid the use of wine unto those of his religion.” It is usual to say of one of a large size, ‘Sure the dam of that was a Whewer.” We could not meet as yet with a Pintayle [Anas acuta]. My cousin tells me it is some- * [Young females of the Thornback Ray (Rata clavata) are so called. ] + |The females of the Fire Flayre, or Sting Ray (Zrygon pastinaca). |