THE OAK. 15 



become fowles, which we call barnaldes ; in the North of 

 England, Irent-yeese ; and in Lancashire, tree-geese ' ; but 

 the other that do fall upon the land perish, and come to 

 nothing. Thus much from the writings of others, and 

 also from the mouths of people of those parts, which 

 may very well accord with truth." This he gives from 

 the report of others ; now for what is proved by the 

 evidence of his own senses: "There is a small island 

 in Lancashire, called the Pile of Toulders, wherein are 

 found the broken pieces of old and bruised ships, some 

 whereof have been cast there by shipwracke ; and also 

 the trunks and bodies, with the branches, of old and 

 rotten trees, cast up there likewise, whereon is found 

 a certain spawn, or froth, that in time breaketh into 

 certain shells, in shape like those of the muskle, but 

 sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour, wherein is con- 

 tained a thing in form like a lace of silke, finely woven as 

 it were together, of a whitish colour, one end whereof is 

 fastened unto the inside of the shell, even as the fish of 

 oisteis and muskles ; the other end is made fast unto the 

 belly of a rude mass, or lumpe, which in time cometh to 

 the shape and form of a bird. When it is perfectly 

 formed the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that 

 appeareth is the foresaid lace, or string ; next come the 

 legs of the bird hanging out ; and as it groweth greater, it 

 openeth the shell by degrees, till at length it is all come 

 forth, and hangeth only by the bill ; in short space after 

 it cometh to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, where 

 it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowl bigger 

 than a mallard, and lesser than a goose, having black 

 legs, bill, or beake, and feathers black and white, spotted 

 in such a manner as our magpie ; called in some 

 places a jrie-annct ; which the people of Lancashire call 

 by no other name than a tree-goose ; which place afore- 

 said, and the parts adjoining, do much abound there- 

 with that one of the best is bought for three-halfpence. 

 For the truth hereof, if any doubt, let them repair to 



