TREE-GOOSE. 
183 
in parts of tlie sea frequented by these Geese, all 
covered over with these shells, which seem to grow 
upon little stalks, and, as the feelers of the fish 
within it, are feathered, or fringed, they were 
supposed to be the downy covering of the young 
Goslings. 
As a curious specimen of ignorant reasoning and 
credulity, we shall extract an account, written by the 
sage Gerard, as he was called, author of a well- 
known book, called Gerard’s Herbal , or History 
of Plants . This author was born at Nantwich, in 
Cheshire, and lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth. 
“ There is,” says he*, “ a small island in Lancashire, 
called the Pile of Foulders, (on the west side of the 
entrance into Morecambe-bay, about fifteen miles 
south of Ulverston,) wherein are found the broken 
pieces of old and bruised ships, and also the trunks 
and bodies, with the branches of old and rotten trees 
cast up there likewise ; whereon is found a certain 
spume or froth, that, in time, breedeth unto certain 
shells, in shape like those of the muskle, but sharper 
pointed, and of a whitish colour, wherein is contained 
a thing in form like a lace of silke, finely woven as 
it were together ; one end whereof is fastened unto 
the inside of the shell, even as the fish of oisters and 
muskles are ; the other end is made fast unto the belly 
of a rude masse or lump, which in time cometli to the 
shape and form of a bird ; when it is perfectly formed, 
the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that ap- 
peareth is the aforesaid lace or string; next come the 
legs of the bird hanging out, and, as it groweth 
greater, it openeth the shell by degrees, till at length 
* Herbal , p. 1587. 
