A SPIRAL or WREATHED TUSK of an ELEPHANT. Presented from the Royal African-Company by Thomas Crispe Esq;. 'Tis about an Ell long. At the base, a foot about. From the thin edges whereof, it is chonically hollow to the depth (or height) of near ½ a yard. It is twisted or wreathed from the bottom to the top with three Circumvolutions, standing between two strait lines. 'Tis also furrow'd by the length. Yet the furrows surround it not, as in the horn of the Sea-Unicorn; but run parallel therewith. Neither is it round, as the said Horn, but somewhat flat. The Top very blunt.

Pausanias (cited by Gesner) affirms, and seems to speak it as a thing well known, That the Tusks of Elephants, which he calls, and useth arguments to prove them Horns, may, by the help of fire, like Cows horns, be reduced to any shape. Whether this be naturally twisted, or by art, I will not determine. Terzagi in Septalius's Musæum mentions though not a Spiral, yet strait Tusk of an Elephant, two yards high, and 160 pounds in weight.

The HORN of the SEA-UNICORNE. Given by Sir Joseph Williamson now President of the Royal-Society. It is an entire one, eight feet long, or about two yards and three quarters. Very beautiful in length, straitness, whiteness, and its spiral Furrows bigger and less, making about seven Rounds from the bottom to the top, or point. At the Basis or bottom, about seven inches round. From thence, for about a foot, it swells a little, and then again grows slenderer, all the way, and so ends in a sharp point. 'Tis also conically hollow at the Basis, for near three quarters of a foot deep.

The same Horn (together with the Fish it self, sometimes above 30 Elns long,) is described by Wormius. (c) (c) Musæum Wor. But I cannot, with him, call it a Tooth. In that, it performeth not the office of a Tooth, but of a Horn. Neither doth it stand as a Tooth, but horizontally. Nor is it fixed in the Mouth, where all Teeth stand, but in the Snout. The reason why he calls it so, is, because it is fastened in the Snout, as Teeth are in the Jaw. See also the Description hereof in Bartholine. (d) (d) Hist. Cent. 4. But in that he makes it to be Gyris Intortum, is not (at least as to this Horn) so clearly expressed: the Horn it self being strait, and not writhen, but only surrounded with spiral Furrows. The same is also transcribed by Terzagi out of Wormius, into Septalius's Musæum.

Of the Virtue hereof, Wormius mentions two Experiments. The one, upon its being given to a Dog, after a Dose of Arsenick: but he expresseth the quantity of neither. The other, upon twelve Grains hereof given after a Drachm of Nux Vomica. Both the Dogs lived; whereas two other Dogs having the same Doses, without the Horn, died. Both experiments are attested by several Physitians of Note.

The credit of these Persons is not doubted. But the question is, Whether these Dogs might not have liv'd without the Horn. As some Dogs that have been bitten by an Adder, have been observ'd to get over their Convulsions, and recover. It is also said in one of the Experiments, that the Dog which liv'd, vomited: and in the other, there is nothing said to the contrary. The question therefore is, Whether many other things, which will cause vomiting, may not do as well, as this so much celebrated Horn?

Whatever it may perform against Poison, it hath, saith Bartholine, been very successfully used by Physitians in Malignant Fevers. As in that, which at Coppenhagen in the years 1652, and 1653. was very brief: and which it carr'd off with very great Sweats. (a) (a) Barthol. Hist. Cent. 4. It was used also by Albertus Kyperus at Leyden in the Year 1655. in the like Case, and with the like success. (b) (b) Ibid. And that the sweating proceeded not meerly from Natures own strength over the Disease, but as she was helped by the use of the Horn; seems probable from what Bartholine further saith, (c)(c) Ibid. That a scruple or ʒß hereof being given in Carduus-Water, or other convenient Liquor, causeth a free and copious sweating, even in those that are not used to sweat, except with much difficulty.

Heretofore, the chief Bishops in Denmark, used to make their Episcopal Staffs of these Horns. (d) (d) Ibid. The Natives of Groenland, and other Places where the Sea-Unicorne is taken, arm the sharp ends of the thickest and longest of these Horns with Iron Beards, and so use them for the wounding and taking of Whales.

The Sea-Unicorne is it self a lesser Whale, and is that Species which the People of Island, where there are many, call Narwhal. The figure which Olaus Magnus gives of the Head, is fictitious.

The SKULL of the MORSE: so called by the Muscovites; by the Danes, Rosmarus. He hath four feet, and his Body shapen not much unlike the SEA-CALF. But groweth sometimes to be bigger than an Ox. In his upper Jaw, he hath two remarquakble TUSKS, bended a little inward. In this Skull, the exerted part is five inches long, and four round about at the Root. His other Teeth are undescrib'd. They are sixteen, eight on each Jaw. Not Grinders but Punchers, or somewhat answer able in shape to the Tusks of a Dog. In the upper Jaw, the longest; standing on each side, two or three of them, within side of the Tusks. They have a small flat on their insides, against which the Teeth of the under Jaw work; which are much smaller, and flat-sided. The shape of these Teeth seems no way fitted, and their strength very superfluous, for the eating of green Leaves at the bottom of the Sea, as this Animal is supposed to do.

The Figure which Olaus Magnus gives of this Animal, is fictitious. But that in Joh. de Læt (as to the Head at least) is a very good one: from whom Wormius borrows his. One of the Cubs is accurately described by Everh. Vorstius, quoted by John de Læt, by Wormius, and by Terzagi in Septalius's Musæum. This Animal, when he goes, drags his hinder part after him, as the Seal. They always, saith Scaliger, (a) (a) Exer. 218. S. 4. come on Land in Companies; and when they sleep, one of them, as among Cranes, is set to watch. They climb upon the Rocks on the Sea-side by the help of their great Tusks, wherewith, as with two Hooks, they hold themselves from sliping. They breed numerously near St. Lawrence Isle.

Their Tusks are used by the Turks and Tartars for the (b) Musæum Wormianum. making of Sword-Handles. (b) I have a Girdle, saith Wormius, (c) composed of Plates made of these Tusks; which being worn, is an infallible Remedy against the Cramp: (c) Ibid.. Spasmo proculdubio immunes reddit.

The MALE or WHITE SHARK. Canis Carcharias mas. See the Description hereof in Rondeletius. This is about two yards long, and near ¼ of a yard over, where thickest. But they are found sometimes seven or eight yards in length, and more. One hath been taken, saith Gesner, from an other person, near four thousand pounds weight. The sharpness and multitude of his Teeth especially, and the widness of his Mouth, are remarkable. They will often bite off the Legs or Arms of those that venture into the Sea in a Calm; and sometimes swallow them up whole. (a) (a) Ligon's Hist. of Barb. p. 5.

Their Teeth generally stand in a six-fold Row; but Bellonius observes one with four Rows only. There are some other Fishes which have as many, and the Scate hath more: but take their Number and Bigness together, and they are more considerable. In Septalius's Musæum, there is one, saith Terzagi, (in words at length) with a thousand and two hundred Teeth. But neither hath this here, nor had any other that I ever read of, near half so many.

Of his Optique Nerves, Rondeletius observes, That they are not, as in other Animals, but plainly Cartilaginous.

The Goldsmiths in France, saith the same Author, set the Teeth of the Shark (which there they call Serpents Teeth) in silver-Cases; and the Women hang them about their Childrens Necks, to make them breed their Teeth the better. The Brain of the Shark, saith Wormius, (b) (b) Out of Læt. is highly commended by some for the Stone. The people of Island, saith the same Authour, boil them for Lamp-Oil. They are found sometimes upon our own Coast, near Cornwall.

A Piece of the same CORAL found on St. Vincents Rock.

The Matripora, saith Terzagi, (a) (a) Mus. Septal. and all Pores (as he calls them) and these only, are outwardly rough with transverse Wrinkles. But this now describ'd, seems by the Striæ more apparently wrinkl'd by the length. So that what he means, I do not well understand.

A Massy Piece of CRYSTAL. Not pointed, nor angular; but of a roundish figure; much bigger than any mans head. One way, near a yard in compass; the other, above three quarters. In weight, thirty nine pounds and a ¼ Haverdupoise. Yet is it very clear, beyond the clearest Ice of the same thickness. The biggest piece of Crystal I find mention'd else-where, is a Ball of six and thirty ounces in Septalius's Musæum.

Crystal, at least some sorts of it, is the softest, saith Boetius, (d) (d) Lib. 2. c. 73. l. 1. of all Gems. He should have said, of all perspicuous Gems: for the Turcois is much softer. The most usual Figure of Crystal, is Sexangular: yet Terzagi (e) (e) Mus. Septal. c. 9. n. 54. mentions a Rock of square pointed ones. But it is observable, That he saith the Bed on which they grew, seem'd to be Gold-Ore. If so, it might proceed from some governing principle in the Ore. For I have heard it noted, as I reremember remember, by Sir Christopher Wren, That Grain-Gold is often found naturally figur'd into Cubes. Crystal grows in most Countries, both cold and hot: the Globous, especially in Bohemia and Silecia.

A Drachm (f) (f) Bœt. de Gem. & L. Lib. 2. c. 74. of the Powder of Crystal, with Oil of sweet Almonds, a present Remedy for those that have taken sublimate. As also for bilious and chylous Diarrhæas. (g) (g) Ib. When Calcin'd, by some called Pulvis Cæsaris, of excellent use against the Epilepsie. (h)(h) Terzagi in Mus. Sept.

ANOTHER, different from the former, in that it is longer, hath a deeper Indenture, but no handle. Both of them strike fire like other Flints. That of Wormius was found in a Hill in the Diocess of Ripen.

Two or three more Pieces, with some other INSECTS. In Septalius's Musæum, is one so large as to bury a Frog. And Boetius (a) (a) De Gem. lib. 2. affirms that Pieces are found sometimes as big as a mans Head.

Found in great quantity in Pomerania, and upon the Coast of Prussia in the Baltick-Sea. The Elector of Brandenburge, Soveraign of that Coast, farmes it out (b) (b) Tavarn. Ind. Voyage. for twenty Thousand Crowns yearly. Also plentiful on the Coasts of Soffala, Mosambique and Melinde.

Boetius describes a Powder, (c) (c) De Dem. lib. 2. c. 160. in which Amber is the chief Ingredient, and which he highly commends for the Epilepsie both in Children and grown persons. The two Salts of Amber united, saith Terzagi, (d) (d) Mus. Septal. make an admirable Specifick for that Disease.

Take Yelks of Eggs sixteen, Gum Arabick ℥ij; Gum of Cherry-Tree ℥j. Dissolve them, and set them in the Sun for an Artificial Amber. Amongst the many Opinions of the Original of Amber, I put this question, Whether it is not a kind of harden'd Petroleum?