36 History of Nature. [BOOK IV. 



hood of the Caledonian Forest. Agrippa believeth that it 

 is in Length 800 miles, and in Breadth 300 ; and also that 

 Ireland is as broad, but not so long by 200 Miles. This 

 Island is seated above it, and but a very short Passage 

 distant ; 30 Miles from the Nation of Silures. Of the 

 other Islands there is none, by report, in Compass more than 

 125 Miles. But there are the Orcades 40, divided from each 

 other by small spaces : Acmodse 7, and 30 Haebrides. Also 

 between Britannia and Hibernia are Mona, Monapia, Ricnea, 



a wood, may be answered by believing that these facts refer to very different 

 ages of the world. The Mictis of Pliny may be this Cornish island ; 

 his error in the distance having arisen from confounding the place 

 of export for tin with the islands producing it. To the latter, or Scilly 

 Islands, it appears the Britons were accustomed to sail in their wicker boats 

 covered with leather, or coracles ; a mode of navigation perhaps not less 

 secure than the somewhat similar vessels at present in use among the 

 Greenlanders. That they were capable of a considerable voyage appears 

 from the fact, that they have been employed in crossing the channel 

 from Armorica to Cornwall so late as about the 7th century. It must 

 have been from misinformation that Pliny assigns the Cassiterides (Chap. 

 XXII.) to Spain; but even this great error may be excused, by recol- 

 lecting that in a preceding age the merchants had succeeded in concealing 

 the situation of this Cornish group from the inquiry of Julius Caesar, 

 when he was tempted to invade the seat of pearls and tin ; and that 

 Cadiz was the Continental port, from which this profitable intercourse 

 with Cornwall and Scilly had from the remotest ages been carried on. 

 The Islands mentioned by Pliny may be judged the following : 



Orcades . . . Orkneys. 



Acmodce . probably Zetland. 



Habredes, Hebrides . Western Islands. 



Mona . . . Anglesea. 



Monapia, Monacedia, and by others Menavia, Isle of Man. 



Ricnea, qu. Ricina * . Birdsey, between Wales and Ireland. 



Vectis . . . Isle of Wight. 



Sttumnus ... ? 



Andros ... ? 



Siambis ... ? 



Axantos ... ? 



Mictis . . . St. Michael's Mount. 



GlessarifB j Nordstant, in the German Sea. 



Electrifies ) 



Wern. Club. 



