ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Part now publish’d, of the Natural History of Florida and Carolina, concludes 200 Plates, which are all that were at first designed, but with what remains of the Collection I brought from America, and an Addition of other non-descript Animals and Plants, received since from that Part of the World: I have now by me ample Materials for another Set of Twenty Plates, which, if approv’d of, I design to add by Way of Appendix. This however need not obstruct the immediate Binding of both Volumes, for by leaving a small Vacancy at the End of the Second Volume, with Guards for fifteen Sheets, they may be inserted without any Defacement, or being perceived.

This additional Part of the Collection consists of such curious Subjects, that for the Reputation of the Work, I am loath to omit, and for no other Reason.

PARTICULARS as under.

ANIMALS.

INSECTS.

VEGETABLES.

a
LIST
of the
ENCOURAGERS
of this
WORK.

The PREFACE.

HE early Inclination I had to search after Plants, and other Productions in Nature, being much suppressed by my residing too remote from London, the Center of all Science, I was deprived of all Opportunities and Examples to excite me to a stronger Pursuit after those Things to which I was naturally bent: yet my Curiosity was such, that not being content with contemplating the Products of our own Country, I soon imbibed a passionate Desire of viewing as well the Animal as Vegetable Productions in their Native Countries; which were Strangers to England. Virginia was the Place (I having Relations there) suited most with my Convenience to go to, where I arriv’d the 23d. of April 1712. I thought then so little of prosecuting a Design of the Nature of this Work, that in the Seven Years I resided in that Country, (I am ashamed to own it) I chiefly gratified my Inclination in observing and admiring the various Productions of those Countries, —— only sending from thence some dried Specimens of Plants and some of the most Specious of them in Tubs of Earth, at the Request of some curious Friends, amongst whom was Mr. Dale of Braintree in Essex, a skilful Apothecary and Botanist: to him, besides Specimens of Plants, I sent some few Observations on the Country, which he communicated to the late William Sherard, L.L.D. one of the most celebrated Botanists of this Age, who favoured me with his Friendship on my Return to England in the Year 1719; and by his Advice, (tho conscious of my vi own Inability) I first resolved on this Undertaking, so agreeable to my Inclination. But as Expences were necessary for carrying the Design, I here most gratefully acknowledge the Assistance and Encouragement I received from several Noble Persons and Gentlemen, whose Names are here under-mention’d.

With this Intention, I set out again from England, in the Year 1722, directly for Carolina; which Country, tho’ inhabited by English above an Age past, and a Country inferior to none in Fertility, and abounding in Variety of the Blessings of Nature; yet it’s Productions being very little known except what barely related to Commerce, such as Rice, Pitch and Tar; was thought the most proper Place to search and describe the Productions of: Accordingly, I arrived in Carolina 23d. of May 1722, after a pleasant tho’ not a short Passage. In our Voyage we were frequently entertain’d with Diversions not uncommon in crossing the Atlantick Ocean, as catching of Sharks, strikeing of Porpuses, Dolphins Bonetoes, Albicores and other Fish; which three last we regaled on when Fortune favoured us in catching them; and even the vii Flesh of Sharks and Porpuses would digest well with the Sailors, when long fed on salt Meats. The Pursuit of Dolphins after Flying-Fish, was another Amusement we were often diverted with; the Dolphins having raised the Flying-Fish, by the swiftness of their Swimming, keep Pace with them, and pursue them so close that the Flying-Fish at length tired, and their Wings dry’d, and thereby necessitated to drop in the Water, often fall into the Jaws of their Pursuers; at some Times neither Element aford them Safety, for no sooner do they escape their Enemies in the Water, but they are caught in the Air by voracious Birds. But what seem’d most remarkable of this Kind, was, that in the Latitude of 26 Degrees North, about the Midway between the two Continents of Africa and America, which I think cannot be less than 600 Leagues, an Owl appear’d hovering over our Ship; these Birds have short Wings, and have been observed not to be capable of long Flights, it being a common Diversion for Boys to run them down after the second or third Flight. This Owl after some Attempts to rest, disappear’d; and the same Day being the 22d. of March, an Hawk with a white Head, Breast, and Belly, appear’d in like Manner, and the Day after, some Swallows appear’d, but none ventur’d to alight on any Part of the Ship. No Birds seem more able to continue long on their Wings, than Hawks and Swallows; but that an Owl should be able to hold out so long a Flight, is to me most surprising.

Upon my arrival at Charles Town, I waited on General Nicholson, then Governour of that Province, who received me with much Kindness, and continued his Favours during my Stay in that Country. Nor could I excuse my self of Ingratitude without acknowledging the hospitable and kind Entertainment I generally met with amongst the Gentlemen of the Country, which much contributed to the Facilitating the Work I went about.

As I arrived at the beginning of the Summer I unexpectedly found this Country possessed not only with all the Animals and Vegetables of Virginia, but abounding with even a greater Variety. The inhabited Parts of Carolina extend West from the Sea about 60 Miles, and almost the whole Length of the Coast, being a level, low Country. In these Parts I continued the first Year searching after, collecting and describing the Animals and Plants. I then went to the Upper uninhabited Parts of the Country, and continued at and about Fort Moore, a small Fortress on the Banks of the River Savanna, which runs from thence a Course of 200 Miles down to the Sea, and is about the same Distance from it’s Source, in the Mountains.

I was much delighted to see Nature differ in these Upper Parts, and to find here abundance of Things not to be seen in the Lower Parts of the Country; this encouraged me to take several Journeys with the Indians higher up the Rivers, towards the Mountains, which afforded not only a Succession of new vegetable Appearances, but most delightful Prospects imaginable, besides the Diversion of Hunting Buffello’s, Bears, Panthers, and other wild Beasts. In these Excursions I employ’d an Indian to carry my Box, in which, besides Paper and Materials for Painting, I put dry’d Specimens of Plants, Seeds, &c.—— as I gather’d them. To the Hospitality and Assistance of these Friendly Indians, I am much indebted, for I not only subsisted on what they shot, but their First Care was to erect a c ix Bark Hut, at the Approach of Rain to keep me and my Cargo from Wet.

I shall next proceed to an account of the Method I have observed in giving the Natural History of these Countries; To begin therefore with Plants, I had principally a Regard to Forest-Trees and Shrubs, shewing their several Mechanical and other Uses, as in Building, Joynery, Agriculture, and others used for Food and Medicine. I have likewise taken notice of those Plants, that will bear our English Climate, which I have experienced from what I have growing at Mr. Bacon’s, Successor of the late Mr Fairchild at Hoxton, where many have withstood the Rigour of several Winters, without Protection, while other Plants, tho’ from the same Country, have perished for Want of it.

There being a greater Variety of the feather’d Kind than of any other Animals (at least to be come at) and excelling in the Beauty of their Colours, besides having oftenest relation to the Plants on which they feed and frequent; I was induced cheifly (so far as I could) to compleat an Account of them, rather than to describe promiscuously, Insects and other Animals; by which I must have omitted many of the Birds, for I had not Time to do all, by which Method I believe very few Birds have escaped my Knowledge, except some Water Fowl and some of those which frequent the Sea.

Of Beasts there are not many Species different from those in the old World, most of these I have Figur’d, except those which do x not materially differ from the same Species in Europe, and those which have been described by other Authors.

Of Serpents very few I believe have escaped me, for upon shewing my Designs of them to several of the most intelligent Persons, many of them confess’d not to have seen them all, and none of them pretended to have seen any other kinds.

Of Fish I have described not above Five or Six from Carolina, deferring that Work till my Arrival at the Bahama Islands; which as they afford but few Quadrupeds and Birds, I had more Time to describe the Fishes, and tho’ I had been often told they were very remarkable, yet I was surprised to find how lavishly Nature had adorn’d them with Marks and Colours most admirable.

As for Insects these Countries abound in numerous kinds, but I was not able to delineate a great Number of them for the Reasons already assign’d: After my Continuance almost three Years in Carolina and the adjacent parts (which the Spaniards call Florida, particularly that Province lately honour’d with the name of Georgia) I went to Providence, one of the Bahama Islands; to which Place I was invited by his Excellency Charles Phinney, Esq; Governour of those Islands, and was entertain’d by him with much Hospitality and Kindness: From thence visited many of the adjacent Islands, particularly Ilathera, Andros, Abbacco and other neighbouring Islands; tho’ these rocky Islands produce many fine Plants, which I have here described; I had principally a Regard to the Fish, there being not any, or a very few of them described by any Author: Both in Carolina and on these Islands, I made successive Collections of dry’d Plants and Seeds, and at these Islands more particularly I collected many Submarine productions, as Shells, Corallines, Fruitices Marini, Sponges, Astroites, &c. These I imparted to my curious Friends, more particularly (as I had the greatest Obligations) to that great Naturallist and promoter of Science Sir Hans Sloane, Bar^t. to whose goodness I attribute much of the Success I had in this Undertaking.

As I was not bred a Painter I hope some faults in Perspective, and other Niceties, may be more readily excused, for I humbly conceive Plants, and other Things done in a Flat, tho’ exact manner, may serve the Purpose of Natural History, better in some Measure than in a more bold and Painter like Way. In designing the Plants, I always did them while fresh and just gather’d: And the Animals, particularly the Birds, I painted them while alive (except a very few) and gave them their Gestures peculiar to every kind of Bird, and where it would admit of, I have adapted the Birds to those Plants on which they fed, or have any Relation to. Fish which do not retain their Colours when out of their Element, I painted at different times, having a succession of them procur’d while the former lost their Colours: I dont pretend to have had this advantage in all, for some kinds I saw not plenty of, and of others I never saw above one or two: Reptiles will live many Months without Sustenance, so that I had no difficulty in Painting them while living.

At my return from America, in the Year 1726, I had the Satisfaction of having my Labours approved of, and was honour’d with the Advice of several of the above-mention’d Gentlemen, most skill’d in the Learning of Nature, who were pleased to think them worth Publishing, but that the Expence of Graving would make it too burthensome an Undertaking, this Opinion, from such good Judges, discouraged me from attempting it any further: And I alter’d my Design of going to Paris or Amsterdam where I at first proposed to have them done. At length by the kind Advice and Instructions of that inimitable Painter Mr. Joseph Goupy, I undertook and was initiated in the way of Etching them myself, which, tho’ I may not have done in a Graver-like manner, choosing rather to omit their method of cross-Hatching, and to follow the humour of the Feathers, which is more laborious, and I hope has proved more to the purpose.

The Illuminating Natural History is so particularly Essential to the perfect understanding of it, that I may aver a clearer Idea may be conceiv’d from the Figures of Animals xii and Plants in their proper Colours, than from the most exact Description without them: Wherefore I have been less prolix in the Discription, judging it unnecessary to tire the Reader with describing every Feather, yet I hope sufficient to distinguish them without Confussion.

As to the Plants I have given them the English and Indian Names they are known by in these Countries: And for the Latin Names I was beholden to the above-mention’d Learned and accurate Botanist Dr. Sherard.

Very few of the Birds having Names assign’d them in the Country, except some which had Indian Names; I have call’d them after European Birds of the same Genus, with an additional Epithet to distinguish them. As the Males of the Feather’d Kind (except a very few) are more elegantly colour’d than the Females, I have throughout exhibited the Cocks only, except two or three; and have added a short Description of the Hens, wherein they differ in colour from the Cocks, the want of which Method has caused great Confusion in works of this Nature.

Of the Paints, particularly Greens, used in the Illumination of Figures, I had principally a regard to those most resembling Nature, that were durable and would retain their Lustre, rejecting others very specious and shining, but of an unnatural Colour and fading Quality: Yet give me leave to observe there is no Degree of Green but what some Plants are possess’d of at different Times of the Year, and the same Plant changes it’s Colour gradually with it’s Age, for in the Spring the Woods and all Plants in General are more Yellow and bright, and as the Summer advances the Greens grow deeper, and the nearer their Fall are yet of a more dark and dirty Colour. What I infer from this is that by comparing a Painting with a living Plant, the difference of Colour, if any may proceed from the above-mention’d Cause.

As to the French Translation I am oblig’d to a very ingenious Gentleman, a Doctor of Physick, and a French-man born, whose Modesty will not permit me to mention his Name.