478 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Experiment solitary touching attraction. 



884. Put sugar into wine, part of it above, part 

 under the wine, and you shall find, that which may 

 seem strange, that the sugar above the wine will 

 soften and dissolve sooner than that within the wine. 

 The cause is, for that the wine entereth that part of 

 the sugar which is under the wine, by simple infusion 

 or spreading ; but that part above the wine is like 

 wise forced by sucking ; for all spongy bodies expel 

 the air and draw in liquor, if it be contiguous : as 

 we see it also in sponges put part above the water. 

 It is worthy the inquiry, to see how you may make 

 more accurate infusions, by help of attraction. 



Experiment solitary touching heat under earth. 



885. Water in wells is warmer in winter than in 

 summer ; and so air in caves. The cause is, for 

 that in the higher parts, under the earth, there is a 

 degree of some heat, as appeareth in sulphureous 

 veins, &c. which shut close in, as in winter, is the 

 more ; but if it perspire, as it doth in summer, it is 

 the less. 



Experiment solitary touching flying in the air. 



886. It is reported, that amongst the Leucadians, 

 in ancient time, upon a superstition they did use to 

 precipitate a man from a high cliff into the sea, 

 tying about him with strings, at some distance, many 

 great fowls, and fixing unto his body divers feathers, 

 spread, to break the fall. Certainly many birds of 



