Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/178

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156
The HISTORY of

of the observable Things of those Places. These Papers being produced in their weekly Assemblies, are augmented, or contracted, as they see Occasion. And then the Fellows themselves are wont to undertake their Distribution into all Quarters, according as they have the Convenience of Correspondence: Of this Kind I will here reckon up some of the principal, whose particular Heads are free to all that shall desire Copies of them for their Direction.

They have composed Queries, and Directions, what Things are needful to be observed, in order to the making of a natural History in general; what are to be taken Notice of towards a perfect History of the Air, and Atmosphere, and Weather; what is to be observed in the Production, Growth, Advancing or Transforming of Vegetables; what Particulars are requisite, for collecting a compleat History of the Agriculture, which is used in several Parts of this Nation.

They have prescribed exact Inquiries, and given punctual Advice for the Trial of Experiments of Rarefaction, Refraction, and Condensation; concerning the Cause and Manner of the Petrifaction of Wood; of the Loadstone; of the Parts of Anatomy, that are yet imperfect; of Injections into the Blood of Animals; and transfusing the Blood of one Animal into another; of Currents; of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea; of the Kinds, and Manner of the feeding of Oysters; of the Wonders, and Curiosities observable in deep Mines.

They have collected, and sent abroad Inquiries for the East-Indies, for China, for St. Helena, for Teneriff, or any high Mountain, for Guinea, for Bar-

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bary,