21 
neous opinions which had been entertained respecting these parti- 
cular substances. In this century also, John Johnston, in the No- 
titia Regni Mineralis, LipsicB, 1661, described several petrified shells: 
he also particularly treated of the Cornu Ammonis, but evidently 
without supposing it to have been a shell. Numerous accounts 
were given respecting the astonishing properties which some of 
these figured stones possessed : and so fabulous and absurd were the 
greater part of them, that nothing but the darkness of the age could 
excuse the positive manner in which they are related, and the firm 
belief vrhich some appeared to have placed in them. One of these 
I will venture to introduce, leaving you to judge from that of the 
rest. It is related in Historia Naturae Joannis Eusebii Nieremhergii. 
Antverpice, 1635, pag. 430, cap. De Lapide in Insuld Mond. 
“ There is here a stone almost shaped like a human thigh, which 
possesses this wonderful property, that being carried away to any 
distance, it returns, of itself, the next night ; as has been fre- 
quently found, by those who reside here. Hence it happened 
that Count Hugh, having heard of the power of which this stone 
possessed, had it secured, by strong iron chains, to another stone, 
which was much larger than it, and cast at a considerable distance 
into the sea : but when morning dawned, to the wonder of the 
multitude, the stone was again found in its former situation. On 
this account, therefore, it was prohibited, by a public edict of the 
Count’s, that any one should again attempt its removal. But, it 
happened, on a time, our author informs us, that a certain country- 
man, for the sake of making a fair experiment, bound the stone to 
his thigh — directly the thigh became mortified, and the stone 
escaped, and returned to its former situation.” But to return to 
our sketch. To enumerate all the writers on oryctology of this 
period would be unnecessary ; it will be sufficient to mention some 
of those authors, whose works deserve most particular attention. 
