298 SEA FABLES EXPLAINED. 



who diligently sets down the secrets of things," and then 

 dismisses it in three lines. 



Passing over many other writers on the subject, we come 

 to the time of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when (in 1 597) 

 " John Gerarde, Master in Chirurgerie, London," published 

 his " Herball, or Generall Historic of Plants gathered by 

 him," and in the last chapter thereof solemnly declared, 

 that he had actually witnessed the transformation of 

 " certaine shell fish " into Barnacle Geese, as follows. 



Of the Goose tree, Barnacle tree, or the tree 

 bearing Geese. 



Britanicte Concha anatifera. 

 THE BREED OF BARNACLES. 



IF The Description. 



Hauing trauelled from the Grasses growing in the bottome of the 

 fenny waters, the Woods, and mountaines, euen vnto Libanus itselfe ; 

 and also the sea, and bowels of the same, wee are arriued at the end 

 of our History ; thinking it not impertinent to the conclusion of the 

 same, to end with one of the maruels of this land (we may say of the 

 World). The history whereof to set forth according to the worthinesse 

 and raritie thereof, would not only require a large and peculiar volume, 

 but also a deeper search into the bowels of Nature, then my intended 

 purpose will suffer me to wade into, my sufficiencie also considered ; 

 leauing the History thereof rough hewen, vnto some excellent man, 

 earned in the secrets of nature, to be both fined and refined ; in the 

 meane space take it as it falleth out, the naked and bare truth, though 

 vnpolished. There are found in the North parts of Scotland and the 

 Islands adiacent, called Orchades, certaine trees whereon do grow 

 certaine shells of a white colour tending to russet, wherein are contained 

 little liuing creatures : which shells in time of maturity doe open, and 

 out of them grow those little liuing things, which falling into the water 

 do become fowles, which we call Barnacles ; in the North of England, 

 brant Geese ; and in Lancashire, tree Geese : but the other that do 

 fall vpon the land perish and come to nothing. Thus much by the 



