32 THE BERNACLE GOOSE. 



disputed." The pursuit of natural history was once 

 considered a species of insanity ; and it has been stated, 

 that on one occasion a will was declared invalid because 

 the testator had been a naturalist. We owe much to 

 the labours of Ray and Linneus. 



We close this chapter by remarking, that the balanus 

 of the tortoise, (lejms testudhiaria^) and that which lives 

 parasitically on the whale, are the only species which 

 are isolated. Some of them are to be found in all the 

 known seas, and many are scattered through very re- 

 mote latitudes. Their fecundity is almost beyond what 

 imagination can conceive. They lay their eggs in 

 summer ; and Poll states, that the little ones which issue 

 from them are filled at the end of four months with 

 similar eggs ready to disclose. 



