CURIOUS CREATURES. 175 



smaller. They are produced from fir timber tossed 

 about at sea, and are at first like geese upon it. After- 

 wards they hang down by their beaks, as if from a sea- 

 weed attached to the wood, and are enclosed in shells 

 that they may grow the more freely. Having thus, in 

 course of time, been clothed with a strong covering of 

 feathers, they either fall into the water, or seek their 

 liberty in the air by flight. The embryo geese derive 

 their growth and nutriment from the moisture of the 

 wood or of the sea, in a secret and most marvellous 

 manner. I have seen with my own eyes more than a 

 thousand minute bodies of these birds hanging from one 

 piece of timber on the shore, enclosed in shells, and 

 already formed. The eggs are not impregnated in cot'tu, 

 like those of other birds, nor does the bird sit upon its 

 eggs to hatch them, and in no corner of the world have 

 they been known to build a nest. Hence the bishops 

 and clergy in some parts of Ireland are in the habit of 

 partaking of these birds, on fast days, without scruple. 

 But in doing so they are led into sin. For, if any one 

 were to eat of the leg of our first parent, although he 

 (Adam) was not born of flesh, that person could not be 

 adjudged innocent of eating flesh." 



We see here, that Giraldus speaks of these barnacles 

 being developed on wreckage in the sea, but does not 

 mention their growing upon trees, which was the 

 commoner belief. I have quoted both Sir John Maunde- 

 ville, and Odoricus, about the lamb-tree, which neither 

 seem to consider very wonderful, for Sir John says : 

 " Neverthelesse I sayd to them that I held y l for no 

 marvayle, for I sayd that in my countrey are trees y l 

 beare fruit, y l become byrds flying, and they are good 

 to eate, and that that falleth on the water, liveth, and 



