# Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (1665-1886)/Volume 4/Number 50

Contents:
* Contents
* An Invention for Estimating the Weight of Water in Water with ordinary Ballances and Weights.⁠
* An Extract of a Letter, containing an Accompt of a Passage by sea to the East-Indies.⁠
* Some Considerations about Slate.
* ⁠Observations concerning the odd Turn of some Shell-snailes, and the Darting of Spiders.⁠
* An accompt of some Books.
** I. ⁠GEORG. SINCLARI ARS NOVA et MAGNA GRAVITATIS et LEVITATIS.⁠
** II.⁠ OBSERVATIONES MEDICÆ, è Musæo THOMÆ BARTHOLINI.⁠
** III.⁠ OTTON. TACHENII HYPPOCRATES CHYMICUS.⁠
** IV. TH. BARTHOLINI Dissertatio de CYGNI ANATOME, nunc aucta à CASP. BARTHOLINO F.⁠
** V. ⁠ÆGIDII STRAUCHII BREVARIUM CHRONOLOGIUM.⁠
** VI.⁠ABREGE CHRONOLOGIQUE de L'HISTOIRE SAGREE et PROFANE, par le P. LABBE.
Numb. 50.
PHILOSOPHICAL
TRANSACTIONS.
August 16. 1669.
The Contents.
An Invention
THe Anchor of this Invention is the Noble Robert Boyle; who was pleas'd to comply with our desires of communicating it in English to the Curious in England, as by inserting the same in the Latin Translation of his Hydrostatical Paradoxes ​he hath gratified the Ingenious abroad. And it will doubtless be the more welcome; for as much as no body, we know of, hath so much as attempted to determine, How much Water may weigh in Water; and possibly if such a Problem had been propos'd , it would have been Iudged impracticable.
The Method or Expedient, he made use of to perform it as near as he could, may be easily learned by the ensuing accompt of a Tryall or two, he made for that purpose, which among his Notes he caused to be registred in the following words.
A Glass-butle of about the bigness of a pullets-egg was purposely blown at the flame of a Lamp, with a somewhat long stem turn'd up at the end, that it might the more conveniently be broken off. This Buble being well heated to rarify the Air, and thereby drive out a good part of it, was nimbly sealed at the end, and by the help of the figure of the stem was by a convenient Weight of Lead depressed under water, the Lead and Glass being tyed by a string to one Scale of a good Ballance, in whose other there was put so much weight, as sufficed to counterpoise the Buble, as it hung freely in the midst of the water. Then with a long Iron forceps I carefully broke off the seal'd end of the Buble under water, so as no Buble of Air appear'd to emerge or escape through the water; but the liquor by the weight of the Atmosphere sprung into the un-replenisht part of the Glass-buble, and fill'd the whole cavity about half full; and presently, as I foretold the Buble subsided and made the Scale, 'twas fastned to, preponderate so much, that there needed 4. drachms and 38. graines no reduce the Ballance to an Æquilibrium. Then taking out the Buble with the water in't, we did, by the help of rite Hame of a candle, warily apply'd, drive out the water (which otherwise is not easily excluded at a very narrow stem) into a Glass counterpoised before; and we found it. as we expected, to weigh about 4. dramchs and 30 graines, besides some little that remained in the Egg, and some small matter that may have been rarified into vapors, which added to the piece of Glass that was broken off under water and lost there, might very well amount to 7. or 8. graines. By which it appears not only, that water hath some weight in water, but that ​* This expression was added to leave Liberty for a further inquiry, whether the Experiment, which hereby appears convincing as to the main thing intended to be proved may not admit the having something further debated, and annext about some circumstantial thing or other.it weighs very near * or altogether as much in Water, as the self same portion of liquor would weigh in the Air.
The same day we repeated the Experiment with another sealed Bubble, larger then the former (being as big as a great Hen-egg,) and having broken this under water, it grew heavier by 7. drachms and 34. graines; and having taken out the Bub1e, and driven our the water into a counterpois'd Glass, we found the transvasated liquor to amount to the same weight, abating 6 or 7 graines, which it might well have lost upon such acccompts, as have been newly mentioned.
FRom England to Cape Finis Terræ in Gallicia in 44. degr. North Lat. the Winds are as variable as with Vs; onely the Bay of Biscay is more subject to storms, and the Sea more rough, and the Waves running very high.
From thence to 34. degr. The Wind is variable also, but if you be within 100 leagues of the European Continent, it is generally inclined to North-East
From 34 degrees, if you be inclining to the coast of Africa, or about the Meridian of the Canaries, the Wind is so certain, and constantly at North-East (or within two points) that it is rare to find it otherwise. Yet in Winter, upon the coast of Africa there are sometimes Westerly storms, that are violent, but of no long continuance. And in Summer, when it is sometimes calme, the Air will come variably. These North-East-Winds hold most commonly to 8. degrees North-Latitude, and then begin the Tornado Winds, which are most part confined between 8. and 4. degrees North-Latitude. They are ​seldome or never more Southerly; but on this side the Line they have sometimes been met between 11. and 12. degrees North-Latitude, and sometimes in 9. and 10. degrees. These Tornadoes are uncertain winds, blowing from all points of the Compass in the same hour, and sometimes the wind shifts thus without being intermitted, and other whiles it will be stark calme, almost between every puff. They are so confus'd, that let 4. or 5. Ships sail together as near as is fitting for Ships that keep company, at the same instant many times every Ship shall have a severall and contrary wind. And this place is almost alwayes infested with horrible thunders, lightnings and rain. And the nearer you are to the Africk-shore, so much more dreadfull is the Thunder and Rain: but the further West-ward you goe, the Thunder and Rain will be less, and the Winds not so uncertain; so that, if you go as farr West, as the Meridian of the East-side of Brasile, there is little Thunder, neither doth the Wind come down in such puffs and flawes; but between 4. and 8. degrees it is most inclined to Calmes, and very great and thick Foggs, and the Raines come not in such violent showers.
Likewise this is a sure rule, that near the Africk-shore, and so for 100. or 200. leagues West, the North-East-Winds commonly incline more and more to the East; so that by that time, you come to the West of the Meridian of the Azores about 20. degrees, the Trade or constant Wind will be mostly East-North-East.
Now as from 34. degr. to 44, near the Continent of Europe, the Winds are commonly between East and North; so after you come so fare West as the Meridian of the hithermost of the Azores, they are commonly between South-West and North-West. And for this reason Ships, that are outward bound to the Streights, keep near the coast of Portugall, but homeward bound they are many times forced to run farr West to fetch a Westerly wind. Likewise Ships bound to the Barbados go by the Canaries, but come home a great way to the North-West of the Azores. And the Virginia-ships are twice as long in going out, as they are in comming home, and many times longer: for, they come home befor the Wind directly, ​but goe out round about as the Tropick, or at leak to 28 degrees Latitude for the benefit of the North-East Wind; and when that hath carried them farr West, they come back to the Nordward again: and then, as the Westerly wind hangs more or less Southerly, they have a good or bad passage.
Between 3. or 4 degrees Northern Latitude the South-East-Wind begins to take place between the Æquator and the Tropick of Capricorne. But the nearer you are to the Coast of Africa it is so much more Southerly; and as you approach to the coast of Brasile, it inclines more and more Easterly. And there is not only a Variation in the Wind in respect of Longitude, but also in respect of Latitude: for, near the Æquator the wind is more Southerly, than it is in the same Meridian near the Tropick of Capricorne; as'for example, in the great Bay of Guinea (which our Seamen call the Bight of Guiny) the Wind (as I have been credibly inform'd) is mostly South; and inclines as much to the West as to the East: but in the same Meridian near the Tropick of Capricorne I am sure it is constantly between South-East by East, and South-East by South. And on the contrary in that Meridian, which may be about an 100. Leagues to the Eastward of Brasile near the Æquator, the Wind is between South-East and East-South-East; and in the same Meridian the Winds near the Tropick are more variable, but most part about North-East.
This, I suppose, is as much as you desire for the Winds within the Tropick: and when I have told you, that in our latter Voyage from the Line to the Tropick of Capricorne we had many Calms and what winds we had were very small, which was in the latter half of April and the former half of May, but in our first Voyage in the latter half of May 1657. great storms; I have said all I can.
The Stormy days were May 16 17 18 especially the 17th in 7 degrees Southern Latitude. Also the 20th and 21 in the Latitude of 12 and 13 degrees; and the 27th at night in Southern Latitude of 22. degrees; which storme was the most sudden and unexpected that ever I saw: for all day it was very fair weather, an so, till 8 at night, and the wind at North-East, but on a sudden came a violent storm of wind at South-West, and ​in a moment the whole heavens were become black and prodigiously dark, which continued till 4 the next morning, with intolerable rain; and then the wind came again at North-East, and it was presently fair.
Near Africa the South-East-winds hold to 28. or 29. degr. Southern Latitude; but towards Brasile from the Tropick of Capricorne to 32 degrees they are variable, and to the Southward of 32. Westerly; as you may perceive by this following accompt.
May 29. Latit. 24 47′. Longit. (by the plain Sea-chart) from the Lizard, 11. Degr. West, Variation 10$_d$ 7′ East: fair Weather; the Wind from SW to W. We sailed 50, miles.
June 1. Littlewind, at SW.
June 2. Latit 26. 0 Calme all day, and a great storm all night at South.
June 3. Strong wind at SSE. At 1. at night it came to E bS, and blew with the same violence till next day noon. At 6, in the Evening I saw Mercury very near the Moon, newly past Conjunction, as I supposed.
June 4. Latit. 26. 15′. South. Longit from the Lizard 9. 24′. West: the Wind moderate at E bS.
June 5. Latit 27/ 32′. a fresh gale at E b N; dark and cloudy. but no rain.
June 6. and 7. the same Wind and Weather.
June 8. darke day, and calme all day and night.
June 9. calme till mid-nigh; then a little Wind at NW.
June. 10. Latit. 32. degr. Calme all day, and till mid-night; then a fresh gale as N W, that we sailed 66. miles. This day we saw a great Number of Whales sporting themselves.
June 11. Latit 32. 43′. the first clear day we had in a fortnight. Strong wind at NW. We sailed 141, miles.
June 12. Latit. 33 44′. Long. 5. deg. West. Variat. 9. 40′. East Clear weather, till the latter end of the night; then it rain'd: Strong wind at WNW, and a smooth sea; so that we sailed this day 177. miles; the most that our Ship sailed in 24. houres in all the time of the two Voyages, this I sayled in her.
​June 13. Latit. 34. 15′. South. Longit. 2. 7′. West. Violent wind At 4. p. m. it shifted suddainly from WNW to WbS. At 10. at night to S W b W; after midnight, to 5 WbS; about 4. to SSW.
June 14. very great wind at SSW About mid-night it shifted to W; and immediately follow'd a very terrible storm of Wind and rain; and a great over-grown Sea.
June. 15. at 7. in the morning the wind came back again to SSW. the Whole day was a very dreadful storm of wind. At noon (by accompt) we were in 34. 42′. South. Latitude, and 3. 20′ to East-ward of the Meridian of the Lizard. The sea was exceedingly rough. At 4. p. m. fell a great storm of Hail. At night was a great Eclipse of the Moon, which I could not at all observe my self, because the Storm raged at the time of the Eclipse more than ever, the wave so bearing over the ship, that I could not be upon the deck: but the Masters Mates, who had the watch (to whom I gave charge concerning it) said, that she begun to be totally dark about half a quarter past 8, and began to recover some of her light 2. minutes before 9; as we reckoned the time by our Glass. As soon as the Eclipse was ended the storm began to abate, and the raging of the Wind and Seas so calmed, that by morning we set up our Top-sailes.
June 16. a little before Noon the wind came to West and continued a strong gale but with fair weather.
June 17. Latit. 35. South. Longit. (from the Lizard 7½ degr. East Variation 2. 30′. East. We saw many great heaps of weeds in the Sea, and a great roling Sea came out of the South. A strong wind (without gusts) all this 24. houres at West. P. M. the sky was extream foul and thick, so that we fear'd more bad Weather. It continued so till 7. at night; and then 6. or 7. minutes it became as clear as Chrystal (to our great admiration at so sudden a change,) and so continued all night.
June 18. a very strong wind at West: a darke day and clear night. We sailed 170. miles East.
June 19. the same wind and weather.
June 20. the wind much abated.
June 21. was the first clear day we had this month. Latit. was 35. 40′. South. Longit. 17. 40′. East-ward from the ​Lizard Variation, 1. 4′. West. The Wind was at N W. till 4. p. m; then it came to West with a thick sky and cold rain. At 8. to WSW. At 3. in the morning to S W, and at 6. to SSW. At 9° the next day to south; all strong winds.
June 22. dark and cloudy. At 2. of the clock the wind came to SSE. At 4, to ESE. At 10, to East, and there continued till the 24th in the morning; which all accounted very strange.
June 24. in the morning it fell calm, and was pretty warm, having been bitter cold the last 10. days.* * This observation of the bitter Cold in the Southern Latit. of between 35. and 36. degrees may be referred to those related by Mr. Boyle in his Experimentall History of Cols p. 491: whence he raiseth this Note: That the greater or lesser Coldness of the Air in several Climates and Countrys is nothing near so regularly proportioned to their respective distances from the Pole. or their Vicinity to the Æquator, as men are wont to presume. At 3 a clock in the night a fresh gale at NNW.
June 25. Latit. 36, 10′, Longit. 21. 15′. Variation 3. 40′. West. Fair weather Wind NNW
June 26. A clear day. Wind NNW. Variation 4. 30′.
June 27. in the morning calm about 9, wind and rain out of the SW. At night calm and fair.
June 28. A fair day, and most part calm; for we failed but 17. miles in 24. houres. At 10. at night, heaving the Lead we had ground 130. fathoms. the sand like Calais-sand. The Variation was 7. 10′. This was off Cape Agulhas, the most Southerly Land or all Africa, lying 90. miles ESE. from the Cape of Good Hope.
In our latter Voyage, after we came to 32. degr. South. Latitude (to which the place from the Line we were much becalmed) we had fair weather, and a constant Wind between W N W and W S W. all along to the Cape (and so it was most commonly;) and I have therefore noted the weather in the former Voyage, because it was un-usuall; in that vast space between Rio de la Plata and the Cape the wind being all the year Westerly. But about the Cape from the end or middle of September to the beginning of April, the winds are variable as in England. The rest of the year they are Westerly, and intolerable storms.
​I can give you no accompt of any thing to the southward of 37. degrees; those few ships, that have adventured to 38, reporting the Winds and Seas so raging, that none dare go further.
Some considerations touching the variety of Slate, together with a computation of the Charges in generall, for Covering Houses therewith; by Mr. Sam. Colepress.
WHereas among the Materials for Building, that for Covering is not the least to be considered, among the kinds thereof our Country-slate is not to be despised, and that as well for its Stateliness, as Permanency; to which may be added its Cheapness. The first whereof needs no better Evidence, than the Esteem, the slated Houses in or about London (though there are many of them) generally meet with from all, that but take notice of them. For the Second, we have some sorts, which by the conjectures of the most experienced Helliers (or Coverors with Slat) have continued on houses severall hundreds of years, and are yet as firm, as when first put up. And for the third, the computation of Charges, annexed below, may give some hints, as easily to guess at the whole Charge thereby, as compared with Tiling, Leading, Boarding &c., (comparatis comparandis.)
I shall therefore the less scruple to offer some occasional Trials (though common ones, for ought I know,) whereby the firm and lasting goodness of any Slate may easily be experimented and without expence.
1. Take the thin cleft stone, slat or shindle, and so knock it against any hard matter, as to make in yield a found, If the fsund be good and clear, that sort of stone is not crazy, but firm and good. Or
2. If in hewing it does not break before the edge of the Sects (the hewing instrument of the Slatters) you may not much doubt of the firmness of the Slat. But
3. If after it hath been exactly weighed (and the accompt thereof laid by) it be put, and for 2. 4. or 8. hours left to remaine all under water in a vessel; and afterwards taken up ​end wiped very clean with cloaths, if then it weigh more than before, 'tis of that kind, which imbibes water, and therefore not lo lit to endure any considerable time without rotting the laths and timber.
4. These Stones may be pretty well guessed at, whether they be of a close or loose texture, by their Colour: For the overblackish Blew is aptest to take in water; but the lighter blew is alwayes the firmest and closest. To which may be added the Touch; for, a good stone feels somewhat hard and rough; whereas an open stone feels very smooth, and as twere, oily.
5. Place your Stone longways perpendicular in the midst of a Vessel of water (no matter, how shallow the water be, so it exceed halfe a foot depth,) and be sure, the upper un-immersed part of the Stone be not accidentally wetted by the hand, or otherwise; and so let it remaine a day, or halfe a day, or less. If it be a good firme stone, it will not draw (as they speak) water above half an inch above the level of the water, and that perhaps but at the edges only, the parts of which might be somewhat loosen'd in the hewing. But a bad stone will draw water up to the very top, be the stone as long as it will, all over.
As for the Charges of Covering Houses with Slate, they may be thus computed.
| | | sh. | d. |
| 1000. | of Efford small blew at the ships side in Plimout harbor | 5 | 6. |
| 1000. | of Efford large blew | 9 | 9. |
| 1000. | of Can pelmel | 7 | 0. |
| 1000. | of small blew of other Quarries | 4 | 0 |
| 1000. | of large blew | 8 | 0 |
| 3000. | of small blew, accompted 2. Tuns in carriage by water |
| 1000. | of large blew, 1. Tun |
| 3000. | of small will cover 1. Poole of work at the fifth pin plaine. |
| Every | Poole of work is, either 6. foot broad and 14 foot up, on both sides, or 168 foot in length, and one in breadth. |
| 3000 | of large will cover 2. Pooles of plain work ​ |
| Hewing of all sorts of plain pelmell per 1000 | Hewing of all sorts of plain pelmell per 1000 | 1 | 6. |
| Pinning per 1000 8d: Pins p 1000: 8d | Pinning per 1000 8d: Pins p 1000: 8d | 1 | 4. |
| Three bushels (Winchester measure) of good Lime will take 6. bushels of fresh water sand, and serves to lay on one Poole of work; though much less may serve the turn, |||||
| 300 of lathes to every Poole of work. ||
| 1000 of Lath nailes to every 300 of Lathes. ||
| An able workman may | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | lath 1. poole of work | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | by the day. |
| An able workman may | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | lay on 2000 or more of slate | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | by the day. |
| An able workman may | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | hew 1500 plaine | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | by the day. |
| An able workman may | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | pin 4000 | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | by the day. |
Chequer-work consists in Angles, Circles and semi-circles &c. which requires no common skill, and time in hewing and laying.
It is worthy observation, that if a side-wall happen to take wett by the beating of the weather, or the like, when nothing else will cure it, our kerseing with Slate (which is much used in the curious fronts of houses, especially in Townes) will quickly remedy it.
Concerning the odd Turn of some Shell-snailes, and the darting of Spiders, made by an Ingenious Cantabrigian and by way of Letter communicated to Mr. I. Wray, who transmitted them to the Publisher for the R. S.
Sir, I Can deny you nothing, and you may doe what you please with the Notes I send you. You would know of me (you say) what I have observed concerning the Odd Turn of some Shell-snailes with us in England, and the Darting of Spiders.
I will tell you then of the first, that I have found two sorts of them, easily to be distinguisht one from the other, and from all besides, because the Turn of the wreaths is from the right hand to the left, contrary to what may be seen in common Snailes. They are very small, and might therefore well escape thus long the more Curious Naturalists; neither of them much exceeding, at lest in thickness, a large Oat-corne.
​The fist I thus describe: The open of the shell is pretty round, the second turn or wreath is very large for the proportion, and the rest of the wreaths, about the number of six, are still lessen'd to a point, This Turben or Conical figure is well neare a quarter of an inch; the colour of the shell is duskish, yet when the shrunk animall gives leave, you may see day through it, and then it is of a yellowish colour. These shells are extreame brittle and tender, so that I cannot send them in a Letter: You may guess at the figure, if I tell you, they are some-thing like those of Aldrovandus de Testaccis, markt p. 359. Turbinum levium,
Of the second sort l fend you inclosed at a venture halfe a dozen; (you see, in that I can so plentifully repair the loss of the former, that they are not very rare; (they seem to be much stronger and thicker shell'd; they are well near halt as long again as the other, and as slender; they have the exact figure of Oat-corn, being as it were pointed at both ends, and the middle a little swelled. The open of the shell is not exactly round there being a peculiar Sinus in the lower part thereof. I think, you may number about 10. Spires, having their turn from the right hand to the left. The colour of the Shell is of a dark and reddish brown.
There are two sorts of this make described, and with their respective Cutts, in Fabius Columna; but ours agree not with them in any thing more than the odd Turn: though 'tis true, that the other, the third there described, and call'd by him Cochlea Terrestris turbinata et striata, is very frequent in the road 'twixt Canterbury and Dover, and likewise in some wooddy parts of the Woles in Lincolnshire. There are odd differences in this very Snaile very remarkable, as its having but one pair of horns (if I mistake not,) as also a hard shelly cover; its manner of wearing that cover &c. which I leave to another opportunity and place.
And to return to our two now described Snailes, they, when they creep, lift up the point of their shells towads a perpendicular, and exert with part of their body two pair of horns, as most of their kind doe.
In March they are still to he found in paires, Aristotle affirmes, ​all these kind of creatures to be of a spontaneous birth, and no more to contribute to the procuction of one another, than Trees, and therefore to have no distinction of Sex. I have no reason to subscribe to his authority, since I have seen so many of them pair'd, and in the very act of Venery. That they engender then, is most certain; but whether those, that are thus found coupled, be one of them male, and the other female, or rather, as you observ'd, and published to the World in the Catalogue of Plants growing Wild about Cambridge, that they are both male and female and do in the act of generation both recieve into themselves, and immit a like penis (as it seems probable to any man that shall part them) I leave to further and more minute discovery to determine.
Moreover, we find in Aristotle a Circle of other parts, but of these no mention at all, However the Romans knew something extraordinary of these kind of Afnimals, that made them so choice of them, as to reckon them among their most delicate food, and to use all care and diligence to breed and fat them for their Tables at large described to us by Varro. Their tast and relish is none, methinks, of the most agreeable.
Of late, comparing Bussy's Histoire Amoureuse de Gaule with Petronius Arbiter, out of whom I was made to believe, he had taken two of his Letters word for word, besides other Love-intrigues; I found, in running him over, what satisfied me not a little in this very subject of Snailes; viz. That these very Animals, as well as other odd things in Nature, as Truffs, Mushroms, and no doubt too the Cossi or great Worms in the Oak (another Roman dainty) were made use of by the Ancients to incite Venery. You'l there find, that the distressed and feeble Lover prepares himself with a ragoust of Snailes necks (cervices Cochlearum;) and indeed in this part it is that these strange penes's are to be found.
Mr. Hook does as it were promise the Anatomy of this Insect.When this was written; Malpighius de Bombyce was not yet publisht. It were surely worth his pains, and the Learn'd World would be oblieged to him for a piece of this nature; nothing, accurately done of the inward part of any insect, being yet publisht.*
​These Snailes are to be found frequent enough under the loose bark of Trees, as old Willows, and in the ragged clefts of Elmes and Oak &c. and in no other place else, that I could observe.
You tell me, that it is generally concluded by Philosophers, That the reason of the usuall Turn of Snailes from the left to the right, is the like motion of the Sun, and that especially more Nord-ward, there having not been hitherto discovered any in our parts of the contrary Turn to the Sun's motion. But this is not the only case, where they are out, who consult not the stores of Nature, but their own phancy. What I am further about to tell you concerning Spiders, is as evident an Instance against them.
The long Threads in the Air in Summer, and especially towards September, have been a strange puzel to the wiser World. It would divert you, though you know them as well as I, if I here reckoned up the ridiculous opinions concerning them; but I omit them, and proceed to tell you the certain and immediate Authors of them, and how they make them.
I say then, that all Spiders, that spin in a thread, (those, which we call Shepherds or long-legg'd Spiders, never doe;) are the makers of these threads, so much wondred at, and in such infinite quantities every where.
I sent you the last Summer a Catalogue of thirty sorts of Spiders, that I had distinguisht here with us in England; and I must confess, I had well near compleated that number, with many other Experiments concerning them, before I discovered this secret. You must not expect here from me any thing more, than what you demanded of me; for as for other Experiments, I reserve them till our meeting.
I had exactly mark'd all the ways of Weaving, used by any sorts of them, and in those admirable works I had ever noted that they still let down the Thread, they made use or; and drew it after them. Happily at length in neerly attending on one, that wrought a nett, I saw him suddainly in the mid-work to desist, and turning his taile into the wind to dart out a thred with the violence and streame, we see water spout out of a Spring: This thread taken up by the wind, was in a moment ​emitted some fathoms long, still issuing out of the belly of the animal; by and by the Spider lept into the air, and the thread mounted her up swiftly.
After this first discovery, I made the like Observation in almost all the sorts of Spiders, I had before distinguished; and I found the Air filled with young and old sailing on their threads, and undoubtedly seizing Gnats and other Insects in their passage; there being often as manifest signes of slaughter, as leggs, wings of Flyes &c. on these threads, as in their webbs below.
One thing yet was a wonder to me, viz. That many of these threads, that came down out of the Air, were not single, but snarled and with complicable woolly locks, now more now less; and that on these I did not always find spiders, though many times I had found two or three upon one of them: whereas when they first flew up, the thread was still single, or but little tangled, or, it may be, thicker in one place then another. In the end, by good attention I plainly found, what satisfied me abundantly, and that was this; That I observed them to get to the top of a stalk or bough, or some such like thing, where they exercise this darting of threads into the air, and if they had not a mind to saile, they either swiftly drew it up again, winding it up with their fore-feet over there head into a lock, or break it off short, and let the air carry it away. This they will doe many times together, and you may see of them, that have chains of these locks or snarled thread before them, and yet not taken flight.
Again, I found, that after the first flight, all the time of their sailing they make locks, still darting forth fresh supplies of thred to sport and saile by.
It is further to he noted, that these complicated threads are much more tender, than our house-webbs.
In Winter and at Christmas I have observed them busy a darting, but few of them saile then, and therefore but single threds only are to be seen; And besides, they are but the young ones of last Autumns hatch, that are then employed; and it is more than probable, that the great ropes of Autumne are made only by the great ones, and upon long passage stand Summer weather, when great numbers of prey may invite them to stay longer up.
​But I cease to be tedious: I have many Experiments by me to satisfy many doubts, that may be made, viz. of the infinite number of these Insects, and their numberless Increase; and besides, how strangely they are able to furnish and husband great quantities of matter out of so small a bulk &c.
You may expect all from me after another so amersleisure, which at least I think necessary to confirm to me these; and other things concerning their Generation and Poison. What I have said at present, is such as I haue certainly observed; and you may take the Truth of these Observations for excuse of the ill Texture of them.
An Accompt of some Books.
THe Argument of this Book is the Spring and Pressure of the Air, together with some Considerations touching the Weight and pressure of Water, as also concerning a Vacuum, the effects of Pumps; item Pendulums, Hydroscopes &c.
Whether the Doctrine or Experiments, here deliver'd, be new and unheard of (as the Author is pleased to think, they for the most part are) we leave to the well-read and Intelligent to Judge. Only we find ourselves obliged to take notice that that excellent Treatise of the Honorable Robert Boyle, entitled, New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, touching the Spring of the Air and its Effects, was printed two years before that time, about which the Author of this Book saith, in his Preface to the Reader, became to London, and there committed his then un-printed papers to the Censure of the Philosophical Colledg there, meaning the Royall Society, of whom he complains in the said Preface', pag. 2. that he expected an Answer from them for almost two years in vain, adding, that he afterwards found, in divers Books printed in English, many things taken out of his Manuscript.
But to undeceive the Reader in this particular, we shall first desire him, to compare the date of the Edition of Mr Boyles Book above-mentioned with that of the Time of this Authors visiting London, and there exposing his Manuscript; that done, it will easily appeare, which party hath the priority in the Explication of this Doctrine touching the Air: wherein must not be left un-mentioned, that Mr Sinclair, when he was in London, in his visits of Mr. Boyle discoursed much with him on that subject, and by his own acknowledgment, then made to that Gentleman, recieved much light from him concerning the same. Secondly, we shall take notice, that 'tis so great a mistake, that this Author commended his Manuscript to the Judgment of the R. Society, that 'tis not so much as mention'd any ​where in their Register-book, that such papers came ever before them (which yet is their constant and careful practice to doe of all things of that nature;) to which we must adde, that the person wish whom he left those Papers of his, Sir Robert Moray (perhaps with a desire to recommend them to that Illustrious Body) affirms, that he did not at all judg them proper to be exhibited there, because they seem'd to him to containe nothing new or extraordinary.
THough these Observations have been abroad these several years, yet coming but lately to our view, we could take no sooner notice of them. Divers are not inconsiderable; e. g. Of a Pleurisys, ending in an Abscess in the Thigh: Of an Abscess in the Thigh evacuated by Vrine: Of a great clew of wormes voided by crude Mercury taken inwardly: Of a Pleurisy cured without Blood-letting: Of the Bones of a fœtus drawn out of the Mothers belly, she surviving and bearing several children afterwards: Of the opening of an Vterus closed from the birth: Of a bigg Stone found in the Emulgent veins of a Boy of 9. years old; of a Pin swallow'd and breaking our of the Thigh 4. years after: Of a Nose cut off by the hand of Justice, and happily set and healed on again, by receiving it, when it fell of, into a warm loaf of bread cut in the middle, and so sowing it on: Of a Hen, bringing forth 5 well-formed and live chickins immediately out of her belly, which kill'd her; Of an odd heat in the extreamest parts of the body, whilst the intetmediat ones betwixt them and the heart were very cold: Of a Quartan cured by drinking very new Beer, and sweating largely upon it: Of an Eye taken out of the Head of a living man, which being examined had all its humors converted into a tallowy matter: Of strange Convulsion-fits, accompanied with vomitings of odd matter, happily cured: Of an unusual case of melancholy, in which the Patient abhorred most kinds of meat, drink, vessels, and almost all people, fancying them to ​have toucht or been toucht by Epileptical persons: Of a Stone generated in the Tongue: &c.
Having inquired of an observing Correspondent, living in the Country, Whether he had met with any such Instances as was mentioned above, of a Viviparous Hen, he returned this Answer, that at Wackton in Norfolk, 2. or 3. years since, there was a Hen, which bigg with Eggs, upon some account could not lay, but after a time dyed; and then being opened, there was found in the Ovarium a perfect chick, which was offered to a Physitian in those parts to preserve.
aNd this Author, though printed 2. or 3. years agoe, came not to our knowledge, till now: He in this Tract, endeavours to justify the Ancients, blamede by Zwelfer in his Pharmacophœa Augstana for having committed severall faults in the preparation of a certain Salt call'd Theriacal because extracted our of Vipers and divers other Ingredients composing Theriack. And having done this, he thence takes occasion to treat of the nature of Salts, especially of the Alcaly's and Acids, which he, with fume other Chymists, holds to be the first Principles of all mixt Bodies. And being perswaded, that Hippocrates was also of this opinion, and a great Chymist too, he entitles this Book Hippocrates Chymicus.
Though the Salt Alcaly properly signifies that Salt which is drawn out of the Ashes of an Ægyptian herb, named Kaly; yet Chymists take it in a larger sense, and understand by that word all the Salts, which, like that of the said herb, draw and impregnate themselves with Acid ones. To this Salt our Author refers almost all the Operations of Nature, and having examined its proprieties, relates divers not Un-curious Observations concerning it.
For Example: That nothing pierces so much as Alcaly's, and that therefore Nature hath stored the Sweat of Animals so plentifully with it. For, that the ordure, which continually gathers on the skin, would soon stop the pores of it, if the ​sweat were not furnisht with some efficacious dissolvent to open and pierce them. Where he observes, that the best liquored Boots, and such as are water-proof, will be quickly pierced by the sweat of Horses; adding, that though Riding Post he had, to avoid that inconvenience, rubbed his Boots with a Vernice, which refilled even to Aqua fortis, yet the sweat of the Horses, he rode on, dissolved that fence after the second day of his voyage.
Next, he holds it to be an error, to use Spirit of Vitriol for Whitening the Teeth, Experience shewing, that from the mixture of an Alcaly and the Spirit of Vitriol there results a yellow, and that there is an Alcaly continually transpiring out of the Gumms, as of all the other parts of the Body; whence it must follow, that the Spirit of Vitriol employed to rubb the Teeth, when mixt with that Salt, must tinge them of the same colour.
Then he affirms, that wood rotten hath no Alcaly in it, and that it rots not but upon the account of the exhaling of that Salt. Whence 'tis saith he, that the Venetians, to harden the Timber design'd for building of Ships, sink it green in water, and there leave it many years; which is the cause, that the Alcaly having been hindred from exhaling, the Timber rots not, and becomes as hard in a manner as stone.
We cannot pretermit taking notice, that this Author finds occasion in this Book to explain the way, by which the famous Turnheisser, a German Chymist, made that celebrated N il, half Gold and half Iron, which is shew'd at Florence, in the Repository of the Great Duke of Tuscany: 'Tis said, that that Chymist, having in the presence of that Prince immersed in a certain Oyle the one halfe of a Nail, which appear'd to be all iron, that part, which touched the Oyle, was instantly found to be good Gold. Several persons having examin'd this Nail, and facing the Gold and Iron exceeding well conjoined, were perswaded, that that could not be effected but by a true change of one of those two metals into the other, believing it impossible, they could be soder'd together. But the Author of this Book maketh that a very easy thing, if the Iron be before prepared after a certain manner, which he teacheth; and he ​pretends, that that was the whole Secret of Turnheisser, the rest being nothing but illusion. For, after he had by that means sodered together a piece of Gold with halfe a Naile, he knew so well to give the color of Iron to Gold, that men believed, that the whole Naile was of Iron; and having afterwards put this Naile into the fire, and held it in the Oyle to take off that colour, he made appear that Gold, which was hid before.
IN this Discourse the Author chiefly observes the wonderfulness of the internall fabrick of this Stately Bird; and more especially of the admirable structure of its Wind-pipe; which is so framed, that together with the Oesophagus or Weasand it reaches down to the Sternum, into which, as a safe case, it winds it self, and being gone down to the bottom of that cavity is turned up again, and gets out of the streights of the Sternum, and climbing up the intermediate clavicles, on which it leans as on a base, it bends to the thorax. But before it comes to the Thorax and the Lungs, it forms a kind of Larynx with an Os Hyoides, covered with a large membrane, and resembling a musical pipe, wide above, but with a narrow slit, and streight and depressed below. Under which Larynx, before the Wind-pipe enters into the Lungs, it is divaricated into two branches, like unto bronchiæ thicker in the middle, but narrower where they are near the Lungs: In which particular it differs from the human Arteria aspera, which, 'tis true, is also divided into branches, but not before it be entred into the Lungs.
After this description of the structure of this Organ he considers the fitness of its contrivance for such a Respiration, as was requisite for an Animall, that by long diving and linking its neck to the bottom of waters was to find its food.
WE put these two Books together, because of the likeness of their Argument; and we esteem also, that both these may deserve to be Joyned to and compared with, that of Mr. Beverige, of which an Accompt was given in the Transactions of May last.
The former of these two is divided-into two parts, a General and a Particular.
The General considers Time in general, and its various denominations and Characters, and especially explains that common Receptacle of all Epocha's, the Iulian Period, enlarging upon its Uses and Advantages.
The Particular considers time in particular, demonstrating the certainty of Epocha's, and enumerating the Calendars of the several Nations.
The latter Author, considering with himself; that of the writers of Chronology, some have contented themselves to teach only the Precepts thereof; others, to reform the dates of it, and to marke the Characters of Times, without rehearing the considerable ​passages of them; others on the contrary confounding Chronology with History, have recited the remarkable Events, without much troubling themselves about the time, wherein they hapned; this Author, I say, hath attempted to joyne them altogether in this Work. And,
First, He gives an Introduction, in which he explains, what is the Indiction, the Cycle, the Epocha, and all the other terms of Chronology.
Secondly, Forasmuch as the Epocha's, whence we begin to reckon the Years, are the foundations of Chronology, he treateth accurately of the Year of our Saviours Nativity and Death; of the Year of the Kings of France of the first and second Race, and of the other celebrated Epocha's.
Thirdly, He delivers in short all the more remarkable passages of every Year since the Creation of the World till the Year 1666. indicating the Authors, whence an ampler information may be taken. And to establish certain principles of Chronology, he placeth at the beginning of all Years the Names of the Consuls, Cycles, Indictions, Eclipses, and all the other Characters, that distinguish the Years from one another. And he often does not content himself with marlking the Year, in which the more notable things have hapned, but he adds also the Month and Day, especially in the latter Ages; which is a great relief upon many occasions.
​Fourthly, He hath a particular Discourse, wherein he examineth, in what time Dido lived, and shews, that she was dead before the Birth of Æneas, against the opinion of a modern Author; and consequently that whatsoever Virgil hath said of the Marriage of that Queen with this Prince, is fabulous
FINIS