%6 The Statural Hijlory 



of thin lamella or plates, lying obliquely to the Horizontal pofi- 

 tion of the Star, much after the manner of L apis Judaicws, and 

 their colour various, according to the different Soils they are 

 found in : whence 'tis , that in Glocefter-fbire and Tork-fiire, 

 where they are taken out of a blew clay, they are almoftthem- 

 felves of the fame colour, breaking, as the Ingenious Mr. Lifter 

 informs us h , Flint-like, and of a dark ftiining politure. InWar- 

 rvick-ftire they are accordingly, and in fome places alfo of Glo- 

 cefter-fiire, of a cinereous colour. And here at Cleydon, becaufe 

 taken forth of a yellowifh earth, of a yellow colour, herein va- 

 rying from all I had feen before. They differ much alfo from 

 thofeof other Counties in circumference and foftnefs; for here 

 we have them ordinarily of above an inch and half, and fcarce 

 any fo little as an inch in compafs ; than which in thofe Counties 

 there are but few bigger. And whereas in other Counties they 

 are fo hard and fo firmly cemented, that 'tis very difficult, if at 

 all poffible, to feparate them from each other, without fpoiling 

 the Intagli or workmanftiip of the Stars ; thefe if but fteeped 

 a night in vinegar, or other (harp liquor, may be divided the next 

 morning with fafety and eafe. 



1 8. And as in colour, circumference, and hardnefs ; fo thefe 

 fometimes differ from thofe of other places in figure too, as 

 Tab. 2. Fig. 2. where befide the fculpture that makes up the an- 

 gles, there is plainly reprefented a rofe, or other uniform figure, 

 in the middle of it, which I never faw at any other place, nor 

 indeed are fuch often to be met with there. 



1 9. In all other matters, I think thefe Afteri* of Cleydon a- 

 gree with the accurate defcription of them, by the Ingenious Mr. 

 Lifter 1 ; all feeming to be fragments, and no intire Bodies, and 

 found either in one fingle joint, as in Tab. 2. Fig, 2. or in 2, 3, 

 4, 6, 8, 10, or 1 5 heaped together, as in Fig. 3. making zpenta- 

 gonous cylindrical column, of which I met with none that were full 

 an inch long; but however, guefs that about 20 joynts, as in o- 

 ther places, may go to an inch : every joynt confifls of five an- 

 gles, which in fome are very obtufe, in others more acute ; the 

 middle of each angle is a little hollowed, and the edges more 

 prominent and thick furrowed, by which the feveral joynts are 

 knit together, their ridges and furrows being alternately let into 



1 PhiloJoph.TranJaa.Numt.U2. Ibid. 



one 



