Part IL in the Creation. 323 



have a thing well attefted before I can give a firm 

 Aflent to it. 



Since the v^riting hereof the Truth of thefe 

 Relations, of live Toads found in the midft of 

 Stones, hath been confirm'd to me by fufficient 

 and credible Eye-witneffes, who have feen them 

 taken out ; fo that there is no doubt of the Mat- 

 ter of Fad. 



But yet, fuppofe it be true, it may be account- 

 ed for; thofe Animals when young and little 

 finding in the Stone fome fmall Hole reaching to 

 the middle of it, might, as their nature is, creep 

 into it, as a fit Latibulmn for the Winter, and 

 grow there too big to return back by the Pafiage 

 by which they entered, and fo continue impri- 

 fon'd therein for many Years, a little Air, by rea- 

 fon of the Coldnefs of the Creature, and its lying 

 torpid there, fufficing it for Refpiration 5 and the 

 Humour of the Stone, by feafon it lay immove- 

 able, and fpent not, for Nouri{hment -, and I do 

 believe that if thofe who found fuch Toads had 

 diligently fearch'd, they might have difcover'd 

 and trac'd the way whereby they enter'd in, or 

 fome Footfteps of it ; or elfe there might fall 

 down into the lapideous Matter, before it was 

 concrete into a Scone, fome fmall Toad (or fome 

 Toad-Spawn) which being not able to extricate 

 itfelf and get out again, might remain there im- 

 prifon'd till the Matter about it were condensed, 

 and compafted into a Stone; but however it 



Y 2 came 



