HARD Wl CKE 'S S CIENCE - G OSSIP. 



267 



the district, I am far from claiming to have examined 

 into the question exhaustively, and would gladly see 

 other workers take up the subjectmore completely,and 

 either prove or disprove the results already obtained. 

 It is evident that microscopic examination throws 

 light not only upon the origin of such quartz-bearing 

 rocks as granite, but also upon that of quartz as an 

 accidental and accessory mineral among rocks, and 

 upon the mode of formation of quartz veins. We 

 are, in fact, led to see that heated water containing 

 silica in solution has played a most important part in 

 geological history, that such water has sometimes 

 been diffused through a rocky magma at a dull red 

 heat, under enormous pressure, and finally become 

 entrapped in millions of minute cavities in the solidi- 

 fied rock ; sometimes it has worked its way up along 

 cracks and fissures, and deposited quartz in those 

 fissures, forming veins ; sometimes circulating 

 throughout the mass of a rock, it has deposited the 

 quartz in all irregular cavities or vesicles, at a less 

 degree of temperature ; and finally we recognise the 

 same heated water fully charged with silica rising to 

 the surface in the form of the geysers of Iceland, and 

 playing a large part in all volcanic outbursts. Surely 

 there can be few thoughts more surprising than this, 

 that every piece of granite we pick up contains in its 

 quartz particles thousands of minute liquid-cavities, 

 and, moreover, that every such liquid-cavity in- 

 cludes a tiny vacuous bubble in constant tremor or 

 active motion, such motion, it would seem, having 

 been kept up for the countless ages since the granite 

 was first solidified deep down in the bowels of the 

 earth. Truly, we learn great things from study of 

 the most minute. 



NATURAL HISTORY IN THE 

 SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 



By F. Kitton, Hon. F.R.1VLS., &c. 

 Part III. 



THE first part of the treatise is devoted to hunting- 

 dogs — CanesVenatici. "But because we English 

 men make a difference between hunting and fowling, 

 for they are called by these seuerall words Venati and 

 Aucnpium, so they term the dog who they vse in these 

 sundry games by divers names, as those which serue 

 for the beast are called Venatici, the other which are 

 vsed for the fowl are called Anciipat&rij. The first 

 called Venatici I deuide into fiue sorts, the first in 

 perfect smelling, the second in quicke spying, the 

 third in swiftnes and quicknes, the fourth in smelling 

 and nimblenes, the fift in subtility and deceitfulnes, 

 herein these fiue sorts excelleth." 



The description of each kind of dog is preceded by 

 the derivation of its name, of which we give some 

 examples. 



"Of the Dogge called a Terrar, in 

 Latine Terrarius. 

 " Those whom we call Terrars, because they (after 



the maner and custom of Ferrets in searching for 

 Connies) creep into the" ground, and by that meanes 

 make afraid, nippe, and bite the Foxe and the Badger 

 in such sort that they either teare them in peeces with 

 their teeth, being in the bosom of the earth .... or at 

 least through conceived feare drive them out of their 

 hollowe harbours, in so much that they are compelled 

 to prepare speedy flight, and being desirous of the 

 next (albeit not the safest refuge), are at leisvre taken 

 and intrapped with snares and nets laide ouer holes 

 to the same purpose. 



" Of gentle Dogges semitig the hauke and first 

 of the Spaniell called in Latine Hispaniolus. 



' ' The common sort of people call them by one gene- 

 ral word, namely Spaniels, as though these kind of 

 dogs came originally and first out of Spaine. 



" There is also at this day among vs a new kinde of 

 Dog brought out of France (for we Englishmen are 

 marueilous greedy gaping gluttons after noueltiesand 

 couetous cormarants of thinges that be seldome, rare, 

 strange, and hard to get.) And they be speckled 

 al ouer with white and black, which mingled 

 coulores incline to a marble bleu, which beautifieth 

 their skins and affordeth a seemely show of comlinesse. 

 These are French dogs, as is aboue declared already." 



The treatise concludes with remarks on the diseases 

 of dogs and their remedies, of which one specimen 

 will suffice. 



" If a dog grow lean, and not through want of meat, 

 it is good to fill him, twice or thrice with Butter ;. 

 and if that does not recouer him, then it is a signe 

 that the wonne vnder his tongue annoieth him 

 (which must be presently pulled out by some Naule 

 or Needle), & if that satisfie not, he cannot liue, 

 but will in a short time perish. . . . Dogs are also 

 many times bewitched by the onely sight of inchanters > 

 euen as infants, Lambes, and other creatures, accord- 

 ing to Virgils verse — 



Nescio quis teneros oculns mihi fascinat agnos. 



For the bewitching spirit entereth by the eie into 

 the hart of the party bewitched : for remedy whereof 

 they hang about the neck a chain of corall, as for 

 holy hearbs I hold them vnprofitable. " 



Scepticism is said to be the great fault of scientific 

 men of the present day. This sin cannot be laid to 

 the charge of the writers on natural history in former 

 times, and least of all to the Rev. E. Topsell ; in 

 proof of which we gave a copy of ' ' the true picture 

 of the Lamia." 



" This word Lamia hath many significations, being 

 taken some-times for a beast of Lybia, sometimes for 

 a fish, and sometimes for a Spectre or apparition of 

 women called Phairies. And from hence some haue 

 ignorantly affirmed that either there were no such 

 beastes at all, or else that it was a compounded 

 monster of a beast and a fish. " 



Our author quotes a whole host of Greek and 

 Latin writers who had heard of some such monster ; 



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