OUR CARCINOLOGICAL FRIENDS. 103 
spectable eye-witnesses as to the exact stages by 
which the miracle was accomplished. And even 
to-day some people, with child-like simplicity, ask 
if there exists any connection between the two 
animals, 
The following passages from “ The Herball or 
Generall Historie of Plantes,” a voluminous trea- 
tise of 1500 pages by John Gerarde (edition of 
1636), may prove interesting in this connection: 
“*. . . we are arrived at the end of our History ; 
thinking it not impertinent to the conclusion of the 
same, to end with one of the marvels 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, than my intended purpose will suffer me 
to wade into, my sufliciencie also considered; .. . 
in the meane space take it as it falleth out, the 
naked and bare truth, though unpolished. 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 living 
creatures; which shells in time of maturity doe open, 
and out of them grow those little living 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 upon the land perish and come 
to nothing. .. . 
‘** But what our eies have seene, and hands have 
