198 NATURAL HISTORY. 



cause of death is the resolution or extinguishment of 

 the spirits ; and that the destruction or corruption 

 of the organs is but the mediate cause. But some 

 organs are so peremptorily necessary, that the ex 

 tinguishment of the spirits doth speedily follow ; but 

 yet so as there is an interim of a small time. It is 

 reported by one of the ancients of credit, that a 

 sacrificed beast hath lowed after the heart hath been 

 severed ; and it is a report also of credit, that the 

 head of a pig hath been opened, and the brain put 

 into the palm of a man s hand, trembling, without 

 breaking any part of it, or severing it from the 

 marrow of the back-bone, during which time the 

 pig hath been, in all appearance, stark dead, and 

 without motion ; and after a small time the brain 

 hath been replaced, and the skull of the pig closed, 

 and the pig hath a little after gone about. And 

 certain it is, that an eye, upon revenge, hath been 

 thrust forth, so as it hanged a pretty distance by the 

 visual nerve ; and during that time the eye hath been 

 without any power of sight ; and yet after being 

 replaced recovered sight. Now the spirits are chiefly 

 in the head and cells of the brain, which in men and 

 beasts are large ; and therefore, when the head is off, 

 they move little or nothing. But birds have small 

 heads, and therefore the spirits are a little more dis 

 persed in the sinews, whereby motion remaineth in 

 them a little longer ; insomuch, as it is extant in 

 story, that an emperor of Rome, to shew the 

 certainty of his hand, did shoot a great forked 



