fervations about the Seknites ^ and otTak^ and afiirm^ in 
particular, that the Solid body of Talc may be dt^olvd into 
a Fluid, as being coagulated (torn a Fluid , though that diC- 
folution cannot at all be performed by Fire , torafmuch as 
that part of it, which is able to diffolvc ic^ flyes away by 
the torture of the Fire. 
After this he proceeds to shetts^ both taken out of the 
Sea, and found in Mountains ; (hewing, of what and how 
they are produced , and whence proceeds the variety of 
colours feen in them* and explaining particularly , how 
Tearls are produced, as well thofe, that being faftnd to the 
Shels are not fo very round , as thofe which by reafon of 
the obftru<9:ion of the pores in the Animals furface ac- 
quire a round figure within the pores themlelves : where 
occur many (in my opinion) very curious and uncommon 
Obfcrvations of the Coats of Pearls and the Shels ot Pearl- 
bearing Fifties , and their difference^ asalfoof the caufe 
of the different Colours in Pearls ; making it manifefi,that 
though globuls made up of various coats may be contriv'd 
by Art, in imitation of Nature 5 yet to difpole their tunicles 
out of a feries of threds by an appoiition of one to another^ 
whence depends the native fplendor of Pearls^will be very 
hard to effeit^ 
Nextj hegiveth an account of shels lying under-ground^ 
affirming, that they were once the parts of Animals living 
in Water, and proving it by the fole infpedlion and confi- 
deration of thofe Shels themfelves. Which done , he ma* 
keth out the particular Phcemmena of divers of them found 
in Toff any. And what he hath faid of Shels , he affirms aUo 
of other parts of Animals, and of the Animals themfelves 
buryed in the Earth , fuch as are the Teeth of Sea dog?, 
the Backbones of Fifties, various forts of whole Fifties, 
Skuls, Horns, Teeth, Shanks and other Bones of Ter- 
reftrial Animals 5 where he informs us particularlyjwhat to 
judge not only of the great number of Teeth brought away 
every year from Maltha; but alfo of the huge Thigh-bones, 
Skuls, Teeth 3 and other Bones digg'd out of the Earth. 
Which 
