CENTURY IX. 485 



bears about the middle of November went to sleep ; 

 and then the foxes began to come forth, which 

 durst not before. It is noted by some of the 

 ancients, that the she-bear breedeth, and lieth in 

 with her young, during that time of rest ; andhat 

 a bear big with young hath seldom been seen. 



Experiment solitary touching the generating of crea 

 tures by copulation and putrefaction. 

 900. Some living creatures are procreated by 

 copulation between male and female, some by 

 putrefaction : and of those which come by putre 

 faction, many do nevertheless, afterwards procreate 

 by copulation. For the cause of both generations : 

 first, it is most certain, that the cause of all vivi- 

 fication is a gentle and proportionable heat, working 

 upon a glutinous and yielding substance : for the heat 

 doth bring forth spirit in that substance : and the 

 substance being glutinous produceth two effects; 

 the one, that the spirit is detained, and cannot break 

 forth : the other, that the matter beiug gentle and 

 yielding, is driven forwards by the motion of the 

 spirits, after some swelling, into shape and members. 

 Therefore all sperm, all menstruous substance, all 

 matter whereof creatures are produced by putre 

 faction, have evermore a closeness, lentor, and 

 sequacity. It seemeth therefore, that the gene 

 ration by sperm only, and by putrefaction, have two 

 different causes. The first is, for that creatures 

 which have a definite and exact shape, as those 

 have which are procreated by copulation, cannot be 



