THEThe Skin of a Rattle-Snake, checquer'd, brown and Ash coloured, four Foot within two Inches long, tho' the Rattle, if entire, is but of six Joints. Don. D. Tho. Wilson Merc. Leod. Another curiously variegated, but without Rattle, and two Inches shorter. Don. D. Sar. Wainwright. Amongst the Curiosities sent me by Mr. Molineux, there is one larger than either; and whereas an ingenious Author saith, they seldom exceed a Yard and Quarter, this is a Yard and half in length; the Rattle consists of ten Cells. Here is a Rattle of four only; and another of eight that was brought from Pensylvania. Don. Aar. Atkinson, Leod.

THEThe Aper or Capriscus, the Head well-described by Bellonius (f)(f) Bellonius de Aquatilibus, p. 311., Os parvum ostendit in quo dentes albi, humanis æmuli, in gyrum siti sunt, for which Cause the Mariners call it the Old Wife Fish; from the Likeness that the foremost Bone upon the Back, hath to a File. Dr. Grew, whose Description is very accurate (g)(g) Mus. Reg. Soc. p. 113. , calls it the File Fish. The Scales are separated by cancellated Lines, Lattice-wise, rough cast, with little round Knobs. Don. D. Tho. Wilson, Merc Dublin.

Mr. Lhywd next to the Bufonitæ placeth the Siliquastrum Phaseolatum, so called because it resembles the Pod of a Bean or Pulse; the Surface is black and shining, the lower Side, where it should join the other Valve is a white Stone; it is the first Fig. in Phil. Trans. N° 200. His second is a broader Species, which he Names Siliquastrum lupinatum the inner Part of this is a reddish Stone. Some here are different only in Colour, brown or black, others in Form, being more Gibbose. Here are also the smallest Sort: Most of them sent me by my grand Benefactor, my Lord Bishop of Carlisle. To these Siliquastra, or rather (to use the local Word) single Swads, being but one Valve, may fitly be added the entire Beans; one of these (Don. Jab. Cay M. D.) both in Form and Colour resembles the great Garden Red Bean; the other is lesser, and dark coloured, but both of them; as many of the finer Pebles, are a sort of Touchstone. A third represents a compress'd Bean, and is of a bright brown Colour. The said ingenious Physician sent along with it, the Triorchis, or Stone resembling Three Nuts. To which may be added another in the Form of a Nutmeg, and which is most curious, one from the East-Indies that doth so naturally represent Half a Nutmeg, as well on the Inside, as without, that many Persons will not be persuaded by their Eyes, that it is otherwise, till their Taste convince them of their Infidelity. Don. D. Tho. Wilson Merc. Dublin. A Stone very like a Gall for making writing Ink, and another to half a Ball of Gascoigne Powder.

A Plate of the Palmetto-Leaf writ upon, or more properly engraved or impress'd with a Stile; it is above half a Yard long, and but an Inch broad: Others, not writ upon, are an Inch and half deep, and near 12 in Length; these by a Hole punched at both Ends appear to have been designed for a Book, and to be filed upon Strings. A small Writing or Ticket upon a darker coloured Paper-Reed from the Bay of Bengall Of a different one from Malabar, see the various Editions of the Bible. The Chinese Characters and Language upon transparent Paper, with two Pictures. Indian Writing upon different Sorts of Paper with Red Ink and Black, one in Gold upon blew made up into a Fan, of which and others upon a Cane, see before. A different Character upon white Paper. An Example of the Sclavonian Character in a Roll of Paper about 14 Foot long. Don. D. Sam. Ibbetson Merc. A Book or Scroll of 17 Yards two Foot long, wrap'd up in Quarto eight Inches broad, from Onar in the Kingdom of Canara in the East-Indies; it is to be writ upon with a Slate Pen. Don. D. Tho. Wilson Merc. Part of a Letter writ by the King of Bantam upon a reddish Paper. Don. D. Sa. Speering. Several Lines in Arabick writ in the Lord H.'s Lodgings in Cambridgeshire, An. 1700, by Hamet Cardanash, Ambassador from the Emperor of Moroco. Don. D. Jac. Talbot D. D. An Autograph of Seraphim's, a Native Græcian, whose Translation of the New Testament into modern Greek, was printed Anno 1693. Don. Rev. Jo. Hardy. A Jewish Philactery in Hebrew, in a single Scroll of Parchment, with the four Sentences of the Law mentioned by Dr. Grew, amongst the Curiosities of the Royal Society, writ at my Request, and given by that learned Gentlewoman, Mrs. Eliz. Bland of Beeston in this Parish, who hath taught that Primitive Language (wherein she was instructed by the Lord Van Helmont) to her Son and Daughter. A Turkish Commission, given me by the said Mrs. Bland, the Paper is thick and smooth, and the Seal very large, viz. three Inches broad, and above half a Foot in Length. The Divan of Algiers's Pass to Sir John Lawson the Admiral 1663, in Arabick gilded. Don. D. Rob. Stephens Arm. This has a small Seal, but note, the Turks seal not with Wax, but Ink; the Emperor's Name being usually written with Flourishes, and in perplexed Characters; nor have they any Coat of Arms upon their Seals, there being no such Thing as Gentility among them. (Dr. Smith's Observa. of Contantinople, Phil. Trans. N° 155.) So the Manx Warrant or Token is not to be understood of one under Hand and Seal upon Paper, but of a blew Slate, about the Bigness of a Crown-Piece,with the Deemsters Mark upon it, which being delivered to the Defendant, he is obliged to appear. (Vide Cambd. Brit. N. E. p. 1066.) This hath upon one Side T S M (Tho. Sodor & Man), and upon the other the Governor's Mark, for the Person charged thereby, being a Soldier, was not to be forced from his Post by any Power but the Governor's. The Right Reverend Bishop of Man, from whom I received this Curiosity, writes they are now as much in Use as ever, and the People pay a readier Obedience to them, than to an Order under Hand and Seal.