PELICAN.] NATURAL HISTORY. 239 



naturally] pierced, and those be better than other ; and 

 some be pierced by craft. And they have virtue comforta- 

 tive, either of all the whole kind, or else, because they 

 are besprung [sprinkled] with certain speciality, they com- 

 fort the limbs ; for by constraining and coarcting, they 

 cleanse them of superfluous humours. And the more of 

 dew and air that is drawn in, the more and the greater 

 they be, but no marguerite groweth passing of half a foot. 

 Also if that lightning or thundering fall, when the mar- 

 guerite should breed of the dew that is drawn in, the shell 

 closeth by sudden fear, and so the gendering faileth, and 

 is cast OUt. Bartholomew (Eerthelet\ bk. xvi. 62. 



THE shell that is the mother-of-pearl, as soon as it per- 

 ceiveth and feeleth a man's hand within it, by and by 

 she shutteth, for well wotteth she that for her riches she 

 is sought for ; but let the fisher look well to his fingers, 

 for if she catch his hand between, off it goeth. Some say 

 that these mother-pearls have their kings and captains as 

 bees have. Hollands Pliny, bk. ix. ch. xxxv. 



Pelican. 



HAMLET, iv. 5, 146. 



A PELICAN is a bird of Egypt. And there be two 

 manner Pelicans : one dwelleth in water and eateth fish, and 

 the other dwelleth on land and loveth wilderness, and eateth 

 venomous beasts, as lizards and other such. When the 

 Pelican's children be haught [grown], and begin to wax 

 hoar, they smite the father and the mother in the face, 

 wherefore the mother smiteth them again and slayeth them. 

 And the third day the mother smiteth herself in her side, 

 that the blood runneth out, and sheddeth that hot blood 

 upon the bodies of her children, and by virtue of the blood 

 the birds, that were before dead, quicken again. The 

 Pelican is a bird with great wings, and most lean ; for all 

 that he swalloweth passeth forth anon behind ; for he hath 

 a right slipper gut, and therefore he may not hold meat 

 till it be incorporate. And the serpent hateth kindly [/*.*., 

 by nature] this bird ; wherefore when the mother passeth 

 out of the nest to get meat, the serpent climbeth on the 

 tree, and stingeth and infecteth the birds ; and when the 



