Serra from BL Sloane 3544, f. 43

Detail of a miniature of a winged sawtail (serra) with a pointed snout, which according to the text sinks ships by piercing them with their snouts, and two men in a boat with their hands clasped in prayer. Image taken from f. 43 of Bestiary. 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).