OUR CARCINOLOOICAL FRIENDS. 103 



spectable eye-witnesses as to the exact stages by 

 which the miracle was accomplished. And even 

 to-day some people, with child-like simplicity, ask 

 if there exists any connection between the two 

 animals. 



The following passages from " The Herball or 

 Generall Historic of Plantes," a voluminous trea- 

 tise of 1500 pages by John Gerarde (edition of 

 1636), may prove interesting in this connection : 

 "... we are arrived at the end of our History ; 

 thinking it not impertinent to the conclusion of the 

 same, to end with one of the marvels of this land 

 (we may say of the World). The history whereof 

 to set forth according to the worthinesse and raritie 

 thereof, would not only require a large and peculiar 

 volume, but also a deeper search into the bowels 

 of Nature, than my intended purpose will suffer me 

 to wade into, my sufficiencie also considered ; . . . 

 in the meane space take it as it falleth out, the 

 naked and bare truth, though unpolished. There 

 are found in the North parts of Scotland and the 

 islands adiacent, called Orchades, certaine trees 

 whereon do grow certaine shells of a white colour 

 tending to russet, wherein are contained little living 

 creatures; which shells in time of maturity doe open, 

 and out of them grow those little living things, which 

 falling into the water do become fowles, which we 

 call Barnacles; in the North of England, brant 

 Geese; and in Lancashire, tree Geese; but the 

 other that do fall upon the land perish and come 

 to nothing. . . . 



" But what our eies have scene, and hands have 



