152 NATURAL HISTORY. 



973. We see scare-crows are set up to keep birds 

 from corn and fruit. It is reported by some that the 

 head of a wolf, whole, dried, and hanged up in a dove- 

 house, will scare away vermin ; such as are weasels, 

 polecats, and the like. It may be the head of a dog 

 will do as much ; for those vermin with us, know dogs 

 better than wolves. 



974. The brains of some creatures (when their heads 

 are roasted) taken in wine, are said to strengthen the 

 memory ; as the brains of hares, brains of hens, brains 

 of deers, &c. And it seemeth to be incident to the 

 brains of those creatures that are fearful. 1 



975. The ointment that witches use is reported to 

 be made of the fat of children digged out of their 



~~ 



graves ; of the juices of smallage, wolf-bane, and 

 cinque-foil, mingled with the meal of fine wheat. But 

 I suppose that the soporiferous medicines are likest to 

 do it ; which are henbane, hemlock, mandrake, moon- 

 shade, tobacco, opium, saffron, poplar-leaves, &c. 



976. It is reported by some that the affections of 

 beasts, when they are in strength, do add some virtue 

 unto inanimate things ; as that the skin of a sheep 

 devoured by a wolf, moveth itching ; that a stone 

 bitten by a dog in anger, being thrown at him, 

 drunk in powder, provoketh choler. 



977. It hath been observed that the diet of women 

 with child -doth work much upon the infant ; as if the 

 mother eat quinces much, and coriander-seed, (the na 

 ture of both which is to repress and stay vapours that 



1 It seems difficult to understand why the brain of one animal should 

 have more effect than that of another, but as phosphorus appears to exist 

 in a peculiar state in the brain, it is quite possible that in cases in which a 

 failure of memory arises from deficient nutrition of the organ (assuming 

 that there are such cases), the diet mentioned in the text might be useful 



