l}l The Statural Hi/lory 



where) about 15 inches ; in weight, though reprefenting fofhort 

 a part of the thigh-bone, almoft 20 pounds. 



156. Which are dimenfions, and a might, fo much exceeding 

 the ordinary courfe of nature, that by Agricola", C<efalpinu4 f , 

 and Kircher g , fachftones have been rather thought to be formed 

 either in hollows of Rocks cafually of this figure, and filled with 

 materials fit for petrification; or by fome other fportive plafiic 

 power of the Earth, than ever to have been real hones, now petri- 

 fied. 



157. And that indeed there are fiones thus naturally fafhion- 

 ed, muft by no means be doubted, fince no queftion theftony 

 teeth of which there are Cart-loads to be had in a Cave near Pa- 

 lermo, befide others in the shape of leg and thigh-bones, and of 

 the Vertebrae of the back, are no others than fuch h . None of 

 them, as the judicious Charles Marquefs of Ventimiglia well ob- 

 ferved, having any figns ofbollownefs for the place of the marrow? 

 muchlefsof the marrow it felf. 



158. Which has fully convinced me that this ftone of ours was 

 not fo produced, it having thofe ftgns exquifitly expreffed ; but 

 muft have been a real bone, now petrified, and therefore indeed 

 not properly belonging to this place. However, it being now 

 a ftone, and not coming to my hands whilft I was treating of pe- 

 trifications, I have rather thought fit to throw my felf upon the 

 Readers candour , and mif-place it here , as I did the Adarce, 

 than altogether to omit fo confiderable an inftance. 



159. But againftthis opinion of its having been once a real 

 bone, there lies a confiderable objection, vi^. that it will be hard 

 to find an Animal proportionable to it, both Horfes and Oxen fal- 

 ling much short of it. To which if it be anfwer'd, that it may 

 be much increafed in the petrification ; it may again be reply ed, 

 that though indeed there be an augment in tome petrifications, yet 

 that it is not fo mall: for though in ail petrifications there be an 

 ingrefs of fleams and particles that were not there before, and 

 therefore either a ceffion of fome other body required, or a ne- 

 ceffary augmentation ; yet that thofe petrifying fleams are fom- 

 times fo thin and fine, that they require only the cefficn of fome 

 Airy or JEthereal atoms contained before in the porous parts of 



e DeNaturatoflt/ium.liij. t De MetttUtcisJii.i.caf.ifi. g Kircheri Mundus fubterrm. lib.%.feil. 

 3. cap. 4. difq- Idem loco citato, dijq. i . 



the' 



