n6 i The Hi/lory of Book I. 



of thofe Pearls called Barroques cut in two, they are fo cleer, 

 tranfparent, and fmooth : Some of them have red or blewifh 

 veins, which give them a very delightful luftre, according to 

 thefeveral afpe&s arecaft on them : They have the figure of 

 a Snail engrav'd on that fide which is even : Being put under 

 the eye-lid, they roll about the ball of the eye, and it is affirm- 

 ed, that they ftrengthen and cleer the fight, and force thence 

 the motes, or trafh which might have fallen into it. 



SEA-EGGES. 



THere is found in the Ifland of S. Martins a production of 

 the Sea, called Sea-egges 0 or Sea- Apples, full of ffiarp 

 prickles rifing out of a dark-coloured ikin : But when the fifh 

 which rouls them is dead, they lofe all thofe prickles, which 

 become .afterwards of no ufe 3 and quitting that hard crufti- 

 nefs which had encompafs'd them, they difcover the whitenefs 

 of their (hells, which are intermixt with fo many comparti- 

 ments and little windings, that the needle of the moft ingeni- 

 ous Embroiderer would be much troubled to imitate them. 

 Thefe Egges Ihould rather be called Sea-Vrchins or Sea-Chejt- 

 nuts 3 for while they are living they have the figure and co- 

 lour of a little Urchin, which formes it felf like a ball, and is 

 arm'd of all fides, the better to deal with his enemy : Or they 

 are like thofe rough prickles which encompafs the Cheftnut 

 while it is up on the Tree. 



SEA-STAR. 



TO confider narrowly all the rarities to be feen in the 

 Sea, it might be faid, that of whatever is excellent in 

 the Heavens there is a certain refemblance in the Sea, which 

 is as it were the others looking-glafs. Hence it comes, that 

 there are Stars to be feen in it, having five points or beams, 

 fomewhat oi a yellowifti colour. This Star is fomewhat bet- 

 ter then a foot diametre, and an inch thick; the fkin is 

 hard enough, and full of little rifings, which adde much to 

 its beauty. If thefe Sea-Stars may not enter into any compe- 

 tition with thofe of the Heavens, as to magnitude and light) 

 they exceed them in this, that they are animate, and that' 

 their motion is not forc'd, and that they are not fiYd nor 

 confind to the fame place: For the fifth, which hath taken 

 up its abode in this ftarry manfion, moves which way it 

 pleafes on the azure plains of the waters while the weather is 

 calm, but as foon as it forefees any tempeft, out of a fear to ■ 

 be forc'd to the Land, which is not fit to entertain Stars, it 

 carts out two little anchors out of its body, whereby it is fo 

 firmly fattened to the R.ock9 5 that all the violent agitations 



