The Zoologist — April, 1867. 661 



" And all be turn'd to barnacles." 



Tempest, Act iv. Scene 1. 



It was anciently believed that the barnacle or bernacle shell-fish 

 (Lepas an at if era) which is fouud on timber exposed to the action of 

 the sea, became, when broken off, a kind of goose. Some indeed 

 supposed that the barnacles actually grew on trees, and thence 

 dropping into the sea became geese, and an interesting cut of these 

 birds so growing, from a MS. of the 14th century, is given by Mr. 

 H ali well, who observes that " the barnacle mentioned by Caliban in 

 1 The Tempest,' was no doubt the tree-goose, and the true absurdity 

 of our old writers, as Douce has observed, consisted in their believing 

 that this bird was really produced from the shell of the fish." The 

 manner in which it was supposed to be generated may be seen from 

 the following extract from Gerards 'Herbal, or History of Plants,' a 

 rare treatise, the author of which lived during the reign of Eliza- 

 beth. He says, "There is a small island in Lancashire called the 

 Pile of Foulders (on the west side of the entrance into Morecambe 

 Bay, about fifteen miles south of Ulverston), wherein are found the 

 broken pieces of old and bruised ships, and also the trunks and bodies, 

 with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast up there likewise; 

 whereon is found a certain spume, or froth, that in time breedeth unto 

 certain shells, in shape like those of the muskle, but sharper pointed, 

 and of a whitish colour, wherein is contained a thing in form like a 

 lace of silke, finely woven as it were together; one end whereof is 

 fastened to the inside of the shell, even as the fish of oisters and 

 muskles are ; the other end is made fast unto the belly of a rude masse 

 or lump, which in time cometh to the shape and form of a bird: when 

 it is perfectly formed, the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that 

 appeareth is the aforesaid lace or striug ; next come the legs of the 

 bird hanging out, and as it groweth greater, it openeth the shell by 

 drgrees, till at length it is all come forth, and hangeth only by the bill : 

 in short space after it cometh to full maturitie, aud falleth into the sea, 

 where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowl bigger than a 

 mallard, and lesser than a goose, which the people in Lancashire call 

 by no other name than a tree goose ; which place aforesaid, and all 

 those parts adjoining, do so much abound therewith, that one of the 

 best is bought for threepence." So fully convinced was the sage 

 Gerard of the " truth hereof," that he closes his account with an 

 invitation to all who doubted the fact to apply to him. " If any doubt, 

 may it please them to apply unto me, and I shall satisfie them by the 

 testimonie of good witnesses." 



