156 On the Ornithology of Wilts l^Anatidcsl. 



to the shape and forme of a bird. When it is perfectly formed, 

 the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that appeareth is the 

 foresaid lace or string : next come the legs of the bird hanging 

 out, and as it groweth greater, it openeth the shell by degrees, til 

 at length it is all come forth, and hangeth onely by the bill. In 

 short space after, it commeth to full maturitie, and falleth into the 

 sea, where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowle bigger 

 than a mallard, and lesser than a goose, hauing blacke legs 

 and bill or beake, and feathers blacke and white, spotted in such 

 manner as is our magpie, called in some places a Pie-Annet, 

 which the people of Lancashire call by no other name than a tree 

 Goose, which place aforesaid, and all those parts adjoyning, do so 

 much abound therewith, that one of the best is bought for three- 

 pence. For the truth hereof, if any doubt, may it please them to 

 repair vnto me, and I shall satisfy them by the testimonie of good 

 witnesses. Moreover it should seem that there is another sort 

 hereof, the history of which is true, and of mine own knowledge : 

 for trauelling upon the shore of our English coast, between Doner 

 and Rumney, I tound the trunke of an old rotten tree, which (with 

 some helpe that I procured by fishermen's wiues, that were there 

 attending their husband's returne from the sea) we drew out of 

 the water upon dry land. Vpon this rotten tree, I found growing 

 many thousands of long crimson bladders, in shape like vnto 

 puddings newly filled, before they be sodden, which weere very 

 cleere and shining, at the nether end whereof did grow a shell-fish, 

 fashioned somewhat like a small muskle, but much whiter, resem- 

 bling a shell -fish that groweth vpon the rockes about Garnsey 

 and Garsey, called a Lympit. Many of these shells I brought 

 with me to London, which, after I had opened, I found in them 

 lining things without form or shape : in others, which were neerer 

 come to ripenesse, I found living things that were ver}' naked, in 

 shape like a bird : in others, the birds covered with soft downe, 

 the shell halfe open, and the bird ready to fall out, which no doubt 

 were the fowles called barnacles. I dare not absolutely auouch 

 euery circumstance of the first part of this history, concerning the 

 tree that beareth those buds aforesaid, but will leave it to a further 



