By William Long, Esq. 35 



miles off.: that tract of ground towards Marleborough (from hence) 

 being scattered over with them greater and lesse (as by a Vulcano) 

 for about twenty miles in compasse. They are so hard that that no 

 toole can touchy and take a good polish : some are of a dirty red, 

 some dusky white, some perfect white, and I have seen some few 

 blew, of the colour of deep blew marie ; but generally they are 

 whitish, they lye above the surface of the earth ; they say that 

 Porphyry is not drawn out of Quarries, but lies above ground after 

 this manner. 



" But the stones of this monument (as likewise the Greyweathers) 

 time and the weather have turnd of a gray colour, as it doeth also 

 the Flints that have been broken by the plough. Severall of the 

 high stones of Stonehenge are honycombed so deep that the Stares 

 doe make their nests in the holes ; whether these holes are naturall or 

 artificial I cannot say. The holes are towards the tops of the 

 jambe-stones. This did put me in mind, that in Wales, they do call 

 Stares Adar y Drudwy, sc: Aves Druidum, and in the singular 

 number ADerin y Drudwy, sc: Avis Druidum. The Druids might 

 make these holes purposely for their birds to nest in. They are 

 loquacious Birds, and Pliny lib: Hist. Nat. tells us of a stare that 

 could speake Greeke. 



''The inhabitants about the Amesburies have defaced this 



piece of antiquity 



+ Mrs. Trotman mouumcut sincc my remembrance sc, one large stone 



of Bishopstone. carried 



was taken away to make a Bridge. t 



"It is generally averred hereabouts that pieces (or powder) of 

 these stones putt into their Wells, doe drive away the Toades, with 

 which their wells are much infested, and this course they use still. 

 It is also averred that no Magpye, Toade, or Snake was ever seen 

 here : but this is easy to be believed : for birds of weake flight will 

 not be beyond their power of reaching some Couvert for fear of 

 their enemies Hawkes and Ravens ; whereas no Couvert is neer a 

 mile and a halfe of this place. As for the Toades they will not goe 

 beyond a certain distance from the water by reason of spawning, 

 and Snakes and Adders doe love couvert. 



" The inscription in lead found at Stoneheng, which Mr. Lilly 



d2 



