io4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



were named, properly enough, bernaculce, and lays stress on the fact 

 that bernicle geese were first caught in Ireland. That country becomes 

 Uibernia in Latin, and the Irish geese were accordingly named Hiber- 

 nicce, or Iliberniculce. By the omission of the first syllable no 

 uncommon operation for words to undergo we obtain the name Ber- 

 niculce for the geese, this term being almost synonymous with the 

 name Bernacidce already applied, as we have seen, to the barnacles. 

 Bernicle-geese and bernicle-shells, confused in name, thus became con- 

 fused in nature ; and ? once started, the ordinary process of growth 

 was sufficient to further intensify, and render more realistic, the story 

 of the bernicle-tree and its wonderful progeny. 



By way of a companion legend to that of the Barnacle-tree we 

 may select the story of the " Lamb-tree " of Cathay, told by Sir John 

 Maundeville, whose notes of travel regarding crocodiles' tears, and 

 other points in the conformation of these reptiles, have already been 

 referred to. Sir John, in that chapter of his work which treats " Of 

 the Contries and Yles that ben bezonde the Lond of Cathay ; and of 

 the Frutes there," etc.,, relates that in Cathay " there growethe a man- 

 ner of Fruyt, as thoughe it were Gowrdes : and whan thei ben rype, 

 men kutten (cut) hem a to (them in two), and men fynden with inne 

 a lytylle Best (beast), in Flessche in Bon and Blode (bone and blood) 

 as though it were a lytylle Lomb (lamb) with outen wolle (without 

 wool). And men eten both the Frut and the Best ; and that," says 

 Sir John, " is a gret marveylle. Of that fruit," he continues, " I have 

 eten ; alle thoughe it were wondirfulle " this being added, no doubt, 

 from an idea that there might possibly be some stay-at-home persons 

 who would take Sir John's statement cum grano salts. " But that," 

 adds this worthy " knyght of Ingelond," " I knowe wel that God is 

 marveyllous in his Werkes." And not to be behind the inhabitants of 

 Cathay in a tale of wonders, the knight related to these Easterns " als 

 gret a marveylle to hem that is amonges us ; and that was of the Ber- 

 nakes. For I tolde hem hat in oure Countree weren Trees that beren 

 a Fruyt, that becomen Briddes (birds) fleeynge : and tho that fellen 

 in the Water lyven (live) ; and thei that fallen on the Erthe dyen 

 anon : and thei ben right gode to mannes mete (man's meat). And 

 here had thei als great marvayle," concludes Sir John, " that sume of 

 hem trowed it were an impossible thing to be." Probably the inhabi- 

 tants of Cathay, knowing their own weakness as regards the lamb-tree, 

 might possess a fellow feeling for their visitor's credulity, knowing 

 well, from experience, the readiness with which a " gret marvayle " 

 could be evolved and sustained. 



Passing from the sphere of the mythical and marvelous as repre- 

 sented in mediaeval times, we may shortly discuss a question which, 

 of all others, may justly claim a place in the records of zoological 

 curiosities namely, the famous and oft-repeated story of the " Toad 

 from the solid rock," as the country newspapers style the incident. 



