390 THE TREE-GOOSE. 



rising to get breath, it became nearly exhausted ; when 

 suddenly turning, it made for the shore with all speed 

 towards the officer's house, where two men were at work ; 

 and as soon as it had landed, walked leisurely up to 

 them, permitting itself to be taken without attempting 

 to escape. It was completely exhausted, but soon reco- 

 vered, and within three days seemed quite contented and 

 confident of protection. 



Amongst other species of wild Geese, there is one 

 called the Bernacle, or Tree-Goose (Anas erytliropus), 

 which we shall mention on account of the extraordinary 

 origin imputed to it, not only by ignorant, but even by 

 some better informed people, in former days ; and which 

 may be adduced as one, amongst very many instances, 

 of the advantages of knowledge in separating truth from 

 error. 



It will scarcely be now-a-days believed, that this Ber- 

 nacle, or Tree-Goose, actually derived its name from a 

 very general belief, that, instead of being hatched, like 

 other birds, from an egg, it was produced from a shell 

 which grew on trees and rotten wood; and the shell 

 was, therefore, called the Goose-bearing shell (Lepas 

 anatifera). For this foolish idea there was no other 

 foundation than pieces of wood and decayed trees being 

 often found in parts of the sea frequented by these 

 Geese, all covered over with these shells, which seem to 

 grow upon little stalks ; and as the feelers of the fish 

 within it are feathered, or fringed, they were supposed 

 to be the downy covering of the young Goslings. 



As a curious specimen of ignorant reasoning and cre- 

 dulity, we shall extract an account, written by the sage 

 Gerard, as he was called, author of a well-known book, 

 called GERARD'S Herbal, or History of Plants. This au- 

 thor was born at Nantwich, in Cheshire, and lived in the 

 time of Queen Elizabeth. " There is," says he, " a small 

 island in Lancashire called the Pile of Foulders (on the 

 west side of the entrance into Morecambe-bay, about 

 fifteen miles south of Ulverston), wherein are found the 



