160 RAY. 



name than tree-goose; which place aforesaid;, and 

 all those places adjoining, do so much abound 

 therewith, that one of the best is bought for three- 

 pence. For the truth hereof, if any doubt, may it 

 please them to repair to me, and I will satisfy them 

 by the testimonies of good witnesses." 



Now the whole substance of this wondrous nar- 

 rative is simply this : — There is a species of goose 

 called barnacle, and there is a species of cirripedous 

 animal or shellfish bearing the same name. The 

 latter animal is furnished with certain filamentary 

 organs which may be imagined to bear a semblance 

 to feathers ; and hence the conclusion that it must be 

 a bird in the progress of development, which is final- 

 ly converted into a goose. A refutation of the in- 

 ference here made does not require the acuteness of 

 an Aristotle. Gerard saw the shells, no doubt, but the 

 rest he dreamt ; and the good people beside the Castle 

 of Pitsligomay have seen a flock of geese, but what else 

 they saw nobody cares. But let us now hear Sir Hans. 



Sir Hans Sloane to Mr Ray. 



« London, March 9, lf)9f. 



'^ Sir, — This day a large tyger was baited by 

 three bear-dogs, one after another. The first dog 

 he kiird; the second was a match for him, and 

 sometimes he had the better, sometimes the dog; 

 but the battle was at last drawn, and neither car'd 

 for engaging any farther. The third dog had like- 

 wise sometimes the better, and sometimes the worse 

 of it ; and it came also to a drawn battle. But the 

 wisest dog of all was a fourth, that neither by fair 

 means nor foul could be brought to go within reach 

 of the tyger^, who was chain'd in the middle of a 



