io6 SEA FABLES EXPLAINED. 



Of the Goose tree, Barnacle tree, or the tree 

 hearing Geese. 



BritaniccE Concha: anatifcrce. 

 THE BREED OF BARNACLES. 



IF TJie Description. 



Hauing trauelled from the Grasses growing in the bottome of the 

 fenny waters, the Woods, and mountaines, euen vnto Libanus itselfe ; 

 and also the sea, and bowels of the same, wee are arriued at the end 

 of our History ; thinking it not impertinent to the conclusion of the 

 same, to end with one of the maruels of this land (we may say of the 

 World). The history whereof to set forth according to the worthinesse 

 and raritie thereof, would not only require a large and peculiar volume, 

 but also a deeper search into the bowels of Nature, then my intended 

 purpose will suffer me to wade into, my sufficiencie also considered ; 

 leauing the History thereof rough hewen, vnto some excellent man, 

 learned in the secrets of nature, to be both fined and refined ; in the 

 meane space take it as it falleth out, the naked and bare truth, though 

 vnpolished. There are found in the North parts of Scotland and the 

 Islands adiacent, called Orchades, certaine trees whereon do grow 

 certaine shells of a white colour tending to russet, wherein are contained 

 little lining creatures : which shells in time of maturity doe open, and 

 out of them grow those little lining things, which falling into the water 

 do become fowles, which we call Barnacles ; in the North of England, 

 brant Geese ; and in Lancashire, tree Geese : but the other that do 

 fall vpon the land perish and come to nothing. Thus much by the 

 writings of others, and also from the mouthes of people of those parts, 

 which may very well accord with truth. 



But what our eies haue scene, and hands haue touched wc shall 

 declare. There is a small Island in Lancashire, called the Pile of 

 Foulders, wherein are found the broken pieces of old and bruised ships 

 some whereof haue beene cast thither by shipwracke, and iilso the 

 trunks and bodies with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast vp 

 there likewise ; whereon is found a certaine spume or froth that in 

 time breedeth vnto certaine shells, in shape like those of the Muskle, 



