258 NATURAL HISTORY. 



cases of men s bodies, that put forth hair and nails 

 for a time. 



553. There is a cod, or bag, that groweth com 

 monly in the fields ; that at the first is hard like a 

 tennis-ball, and white ; and after groweth of a mush 

 room colour, and full of light dust upon the break 

 ing, and is thought to be dangerous for the 

 eyes if the powder get into them, and to be good 

 for kibes. Belike it hath a corrosive and fretting 

 nature. 



554. There is an herb called Jew s ear, that 

 groweth upon the roots and lower parts of the 

 bodies of trees ; especially of elders, and sometimes 

 ashes. It hath a strange property ; for in warm 

 water it swelleth, and openeth extremely. It is not 

 green, but of a dusky brown colour. And it is 

 used for squinancies and inflammations in the throat ; 

 whereby it seemeth to have a mollifying and leni- 

 fying virtue. 



555. There is a kind of spungy excrescence, 

 which groweth chiefly upon the roots of the laser- 

 tree ; and sometimes upon cedar and other trees. 

 It is very white, and light, and friable ; which we 

 call agaric. It is famous in physic for the purging 

 of tough phlegm. And it is also an excellent opener 

 for the liver ; but offensive to the stomach : and in 

 taste, it is at the first sweet, and after bitter. 



556. We find no super-plant that is a formed 

 plant, but misseltoe. They have an idle tradition, 

 that there is a bird called a missel bird, that feedeth 



