THE DECLINE OF ANCIENT LEARNING 61 



finity in its modern scientific sense. In the field of natural 

 history, he dissented from the then accepted belief "that 

 certain birds spring from trees and are nourished by the sap, 

 and also from the theory that some are generated in the sea 

 from decaying wood." 2l His studies on the influence of 

 geographical features upon races and his position in opposi- 

 tion to those who ridiculed the existence of the Antipodes 

 entitle him to a place as one of the founders of geographical 



21 White, A. D., loc. tit., Vol. I, p. 37. 



The name goose-barnacle, which survives in modern zoology, arose in con- 

 nection with this belief. 



For example, Sylvester Giraldus, in his "Relations concerning Ireland," 

 (1187) writes as follows: "Chapt. II, Of Barnacles which grew from fir timber 

 and their nature." 



"There are likewise here (in Ireland) many birds called barnacles, which 

 nature produces in a wonderful manner, out of her ordinary course. They 

 resemble the marsh geese, but are smaller. Being at first gummy excrescences 

 from pinebeams floating on the water, and then enclosed in shells to secure 

 their free growth, they hang by their beaks, like seaweeds attached to the 

 timber. Being in process of time well covered with feathers, they either fall 

 into the water or take their flight into the free air, their nourishment and 

 growth being supplied, while they are bred in this very unaccountable and 

 curious manner, from the juices of the wood in the water. I have often seen 

 with my own eyes more than a thousand minute embryos of birds of this 

 species on the sea-shore, hanging from one piece of timber, covered with shells, 

 and already formed. No eggs are laid by these birds . . .; the hen never 

 sits on eggs in order to hatch them; in no corner of the world are they seen 

 either to pair, or build nests. Hence, in some parts of Ireland, bishops and 

 men of religion make no scruple of eating these birds on fasting days, as not 

 being flesh, because they are not born of flesh, but these men are curiously 

 drawn into error. For, if any one had eaten part of the thigh of our first par- 

 ent, which was really flesh, although not born of flesh, I should think him 

 not guiltless of having eaten flesh. Repent, O unhappy Jew." 



As late as 1676 this same belief was seriously maintained, when Sir Robert 

 Murray reported his observations to the Royal Society of England: "In many 

 shells I opened, I found a perfect Sea-Fowl; the little Bill like that of a Goose; 

 the Eyes marked; the Head, Neck, Breast, Wings, Tail, and Feet, formed; 

 the Feathers everywhere perfectly Shaped, and Blackish colored; and the 

 Feet like those of other Water-Fowl, to my best Rememberance. The biggest 

 I found upon the Tree, was but about the size of the Figure (an inch long); 

 nor did I ever see any of the little Birds alive, nor meet with any Body that 

 did; only some credible Persons have assured me that they have seen some 

 as big as their Fist." (Quoted from Metcalfe, M. M., "Organic Evolution," 

 published by the Macmillan Co. Reprinted by permission.) 



