384 
BAENACLES ; THEIK FACTS AND THEIE FICTIONS. 
By JOHN C. GALTON, M.A. (Oxon.), M.K.C.S., F.L.S. 
Late Lecttjeek on Compakative Anatomy at Chaetng-cross Hospital. 
[PLATE CIV.] 
They spawne, as it were, in March and Aprill ; the Geese are found in 
Maie and June, and come to fulnesse of feathers in the moneth after. And 
thus hauing through God’s assistance, dicoursed somewhat at large of Grasses, 
Herhes, Shrubs, Trees, Mosses, and certaine excrescences of the earth, with 
other things moe incident to the Historie thereof, we conclude and ende our 
present volume, with this woonder of England. For which God’s name 
be euer honored and praised.” — Gerarde, Herhall, 1633. 
Da ich nach meiner Art zu forschen, zu wissen, und zu geniesen mich 
nur an Symbole halten darf, so gehoren diese Geschopfe zu den Heilig- 
thiimern, welche fetischartig immer vor mir stehen und durch ihr seltsame 
Gebilde, die nach dem Regellosen strebende, sich selbst immer regelnde 
imd so im Kleinsten wie im Grossten durchaus gott-und menschenahnliche 
Natur sinnlich vergegenwartigen.” — Goethe, Die Lepaden, 1823. 
T he words with which the great poet-philosopher of Germany 
concludes a fragmentary note on the Barnacles, and 
which are placed at the head of this article, stand in somewhat 
striking contrast with the pious sentiments preceding them, 
expressed just two centuries before, by “ old Gerarde,” as many 
still lovingly term him, as a fitting conclusion to the descrip- 
tion of the Bernicle-tree, which forms the last of the Appendices 
to his ponderous “ Herhall.” 
The above difference in the way of regarding the same sub- 
ject, may, however, be no less due to the difference in the 
range of vision of the renowned courtier of Weimar and of the 
comparatively obscure English “ master in Chirurgerie,” than 
to a probable “ change of type ” in 3 he mind of men brought 
about during the lapse of two centuries. 
Although, from the scope of the periodical in which it 
appears, this article should properly be zoological rather than 
