172 NATURAL HISTORY. 



4. The colour of the shining part, by day-light, is in 

 some pieces white, in some pieces inclining to red ; 

 which in the country they call the white and red 

 garret. 5, The part that shineth is, for the most 

 part, somewhat soft, and moist to feel to, but some 

 was found to be firm and hard, so as it might be 

 figured into a cross, or into beads, &c. But you 

 must not look to have an image, or the like, in any 

 thing that is lightsome ; for even a face in iron red- 

 hot will not be seen, the light confounding the small 

 differences of lightsome and darksome, which shew 

 the figure. 6. There was the shining part pared 

 off, till you came to that that did not shine ; but 

 within two days the part contiguous began also to 

 shine, being laid abroad in the dew ; so as it seem- 

 eth the putrefaction spreadeth. 7. There was other 

 dead wood of like kind that was laid abroad, which 

 shined not at the first ; but after a night s lying 

 abroad began to shine. 8. There was other wood 

 that did first shine ; and being laid dry in the house, 

 within five or six days lost the shining ; and laid 

 abroad again, recovered the shining. 9. Shining 

 woods being laid in a dry room, within a seven-night 

 lose their shining; but being laid in a cellar, or dark 

 room, keeps the shining. 10. The boring of holes 

 in that kind of wood, and then laying it abroad^ 

 seemeth to conduce to make it shine : the cause is, 

 for that all solution of continuity doth help on putre 

 faction, as was touched before. 11. No wood hath 

 been yet tried to shine, that was cut down alive, but 

 such as was rotted both in stock and root while it 





