CENTURY VIII. 401 



time of their growth : most of them coming to their 

 growth within a twelvemonth- 



760. Some creatures bring forth many young ones 

 at a burden : as bitches, hares, conies, c. Some 

 ordinarily but one ; as women, lionesses, &c. This 

 may be caused, either by the quantity of sperm re 

 quired to the producing one of that kind ; which if 

 less be required, may admit greater number ; if more, 

 fewer: or by the partitions and cells of the womb, 

 \vhich may sever the sperm. 



Experiments in consort touching species visible. 



761. There is no doubt, but light by refraction 

 will shew greater, as well as things coloured. For 

 like as a shilling in the bottom of the water will shew 

 greater ; so will a candle in a lanthorn, in the bottom 

 of the water. I have heard of a practice, that glow 

 worms in glasses were put in the water to make the 

 fish come. But I am not yet informed, whether 

 when a diver diveth, having his eyes open, and swim- 

 rneth upon his back ; whether, I say, he seeth things 

 in the air, greater or less. For it is manifest, that 

 when the eye standeth in the finer medium, and the 

 object is in the grosser, things shew greater ; but 

 contrariwise, when the eye is placed in the grosser 

 medium, and the object in the finer, how it worketh 

 I know not. 



762. It would be well bolted out, whether great 

 refractions may not be made upon reflexions, as well 

 as upon direct beams. For example, we see, that 

 take an empty bason, put an angel of gold, or what 



