130 THE LITERATURE OF BOTANY. 



a very curious notice of the barnacle or goose-bearing tree. 

 " There are found in the north part of Scotland and the 

 islands adjacent, called Orchades, certain trees whereon 

 do grow certain shells of a white colour tending to russet, 

 wherein are contained little moving creatures, which shells 

 in time of maturity doe open, and out of them grow those 

 little moving things, falling into the water, doe become 

 fowles which we call barnacles ; in the north of England, 

 brant geese ; in Lancashire, tree geese ; but the other part 

 do fall upon the land, perish, and come to nothing. Thus 

 much by the writings of others, and also from the mouths 

 of people of those parts, which may well accord with truth." 

 And then follows a description of a similar wonder found 

 on the coast of Lancashire, to which I invite your attention. 

 This grand book thus ends : "And thus having through 

 God's assistance discoursed somewhat at large of grasses, 

 herbs, shrubs, trees, and mosses, and certain excrescences 

 of the earth, with other things more, incident to the historie 

 thereof, we conclude and end our present volume with 

 this wonder of England. For the which God's name be 

 ever honoured and praised." 



Passing over the labour of Lobel, a Fleming, 1570, who 

 improved the ancient modes of distinction by taking into 

 account characteristics of a more definite nature than those 

 which had hitherto been employed by his predecessors, and 

 Co3salpinus, an Italian, who contributed to botanical arrange- 

 ment in some degree, I notice Thomas Johnson, who was 

 another worthy successor of father Turner, and the first 

 man who printed an account of a botanical excursion in 

 England. This appeared in 1629, when he was a flourishing 

 apothecary on Snow Hill. He actually made up a botanizing 

 party for an excursion to Hampstead Heath, on August 

 the 1st, 1629, and has left a three-page record of the 



