94 



A NATURAL HISTORY 



an extraordinary degree of Coldnefs, which diffipates and fcatters 

 the Flame for a Httle time. 



I Have read an Experiment made upon a Salamander^ that 

 was thrown into the Fire, and there came from it a fort of gelid, 

 moift, vifcous Humour, which refifted the Power of Fire for a 

 little time ; but thofe Exhalations being dried up, was foon con- 

 fum'd. In the Philofophical Tranfa5iio?ts, we have another In- 

 flance, which feems to carry the matter further. 



M. STENO writes from Rome, that a Knight called Corvim^ 

 had affured him, that having caft a Salamander (brought to him 

 out of the Indies) into the Fire, the Animal thereupon fwelled 

 prefently, and then vomited ftore of thick flimy Matter, which 

 did put out the neighbouring Coals, to which the Salamajider 

 retired immediately, putting them out alfo in the fame manner as 

 they rekindled; and by this means faved his Life about tWo 

 Hours, and afterwards lived nine Months; that he had kept it 

 eleven Months, without any other Food but what it took by 

 licking the Earth, on which it moved, and on which it had been 

 brought out of the Indies, which at firft was covered with a thick 

 Moifture, but being dried afterwards, the Urine of the Animal 

 ferved to moiften the fame : Being put upon Italian Earthy it 

 died within three days after *. 



As to the Poffibility of the thing ; I make no doubt but he, 

 who made Water the Habitation of Fifli, can make Fire to be 

 the Refidence of another fort of Beings. The Sun, which is the 

 Centre of our planetary Syftem, for aught we know, may be the 

 Seat of glorious Inhabitants ; or, as others conjed:ure, the Place 

 of future Mifery. 



Upon the whole, the Salamander being of a mucous, flimy, 

 and cold Body, will, like Ice, foon extinguifh a little Fire, but 

 will be as foon confum'd by a great Fire ; therefore it was no Ab- 

 furdity in Galen, when, as ^feptical Medicine, he recommended 

 the Afies of a Salamander. 



The like Humidity is obfervable in Water-Lizards, efpeclally 

 if their Skins be prick'd: Yea, Frogs, Snails, White of Eggs, 

 will foon quench a leffer Coal. We read of incombiiftible Cloth ^ 

 {Linnen, Paper,) made from a Flaxen-Mineral, call'd Ao-Cero? 

 by the Greeks^ and Linum vivu?n by the Latins, 



This 



* Lofjothorp's jibridgementy vol. ii. p. 816. 



