derived its origin from the fhell reprefented in the 

 annexed plate. This error, grofs and abfurd as it 

 was, feems to have met with credit from authors 

 who fhould have viewed objects of this nature with 

 other eyes than thofe of the vulgar. It was fuppofed 

 by thefe philofophers that the inhabitant of this 

 Ihell was an immature bird, or young of the above- 

 mentioned goofc, which, after having attained its 

 plumage, liberated itfelf from the confinement of 

 its fhell, and dropped into the water below. The 

 numerous arms or tentacula of the inhabiting ani- 

 mal, which are difpofed in a femicircular form, and 

 are of a feathery appearance, feem to have been all 

 that could reafonably be alledged in favor of this 

 extraordinary hypothefis. Am^ongft others v/ho have 

 mentioned this fuppofed goofe-bearing fhell, is Ge- 

 rard, the author of the well-knov/n herbal. His 

 account runs thus. 



" But what our eyes have feene, and hands have 

 touched we fhall declare. There is a fmall ifland 

 in Lancafhire called the Pile of Fowlders, wherein 

 are found the broken pieces of old and bruifed Ihips, 

 fome whereof have been caft thither by fliipwrake, 

 and alfo the trunks and bodies, with the branches 

 of old and rotten trees, caft up there likewife ; 

 whereon is found a certain fpume or froth that in 

 time breedeth unto certaine ftiells, in fhape like 

 thofe of the mulkle, but fharper pointed, and of a 

 whitifh colour ; wherein is contained a thing in 

 form like a lace of filk finely woven as it were to- 

 gether, of a whitifh colour ; one end whereof is 



faftened 



