Mythical creatures from BL Sloane 278, ff. 50v-51

Miniature of lizards (lacerta) with wings, on the left, and to the right, a sawfish (serra), a winged sea monster, and a ship, and below this, vipers (vipera) mating with the male putting his head into the female's mouth, and giving birth, with the young gnawing through her side. Image taken from ff. 50v-51 of Aviarium (index Bestiary); Bestiary, in the Dicta Chrysostomi form (index Physiologus). Written in Latin.

Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of British museums and libraries. Sloane was a fellow of the Royal Society and a physician to the royal family. He also traveled extensively and collected items from all over the world.

Sloane's collection was vast and eclectic, encompassing a wide range of subjects, including natural history, botany, ethnography, medicine, antiquities, and more. His manuscript collection included medieval and early modern texts, as well as materials from various cultures and time periods. His collection formed the basis for the British Museum (now part of the British Library), the Natural History Museum, and the British Museum Library (now part of the British Library).