PLATE VII. 



and particularly by Gerard*, whose observations are generally noticed 

 by authors, in describing this curious species. 



* " What our eyes have seene, and hands have touched, we shall declare. There is 

 a small island in Lancashire called the Pile of Foulders, wherein are found the broken 

 pieces of old and bruised ships, some whereof have been cast thither by shipwrake, and 

 also the trunks and bodies with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast up there like- 

 wise j whereon is found a certaine spume, or froth, that in time breedeth unto certaine 

 shels, in shape like those of the muskle, but sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour, 

 wherin is contained a thing in form like a lace of silke finely woven, as it were, to- 

 gether, of a whitish colour} one end whereof is fastened unto 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 iumpe, which in time commeth to the shape and form of a 

 bird. When it is perfectly formed, the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that ap- 

 peareth is the foresaid lace or string ; next come the legs of the bird, hanging out, and 

 as it groweth greater it openeth the shell by degrees, till at length it is all come forth, 

 and hangeth onely by the bill : in short space after it commeth to full maturitie, and 

 falleth into the sea, where it gather eth feathers, and groweth to fowle bigger than a 

 Mallard and lesser than a Goose, having blacke legs and bill or beake, and feathers 

 blacke and white, spotted in such manner as is our Magpie, called in some places a 

 Pie-Annet, which the people of Lancashire call by no other name than a tree Goose : 

 which place aforesaid, and all these parts adjoyning, 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 repaire unto me, and I shall sati^fie them by the testimonie of 

 good witnesses." Vide Gerard's Herbal, p. 1587, r 5 S S . 



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