Series 02: Journal of a tour in Holland, 12 February - 22 March 1773 - No. 0019

[Page 19]

Feb. 1773 - Hague

20.  Went this morn with Mr Allemand to see the Prince of Oranges Cabinets which was shown us by Mr Vosmaer the Keeper of it upon the whole tho not very rich in any one branch of either Natural or artificial curiosities it is certainly a very pleasing collection every peice [piece] is set off to the best advantage the birds & animals are peculiarly well stuff'd the fossils & shells neatly arrangd & the Cabinets for the whole tho not expensively elegant sensibly constructed & furnished above all with the best of glass so that objects are seen through it almost as well as if there was no medium to obstruct the sight.  Among the Collection the following were those which struck me as most uncommon,
Lanternaria [also spelt laternaria] two species from Surinam with long snouts strongly toothd the one ending plain the other in a cross
Sphinx ramentacea from Surinam the body of this animal is coverd with hairs or ramenta 2 inches long appearing very singular upon examination.  They provd to be Clavarias which had grown upon the animal after its death the whole being coated over with a fungous [fungus] crust