or backward by both sexes, but because it is confounded with the intestinal excretions and egestions of the belly; and this way is ordinarily observed, although possible it is that the liquid excretion may sometimes be excluded without the other.2

As for the stone commonly called the toad-stone, which is presumed to be found in the head of that animal, we first conceive it not a thing impossible; nor is there any substantial reason why, in a toad, there may not be found such hard and lapideous concretions: for the like we daily observe in the heads of fishes, as cods, carps, and perches; the like also in snails, a soft and exosseous animal, whereof in the naked and greater sort, as though she would requite the defect of a shell on their back, nature, near the head,3 hath placed a flat white stone, or rather testaceous concretion: which, though Aldrovandus affirms, that after dissection of many he found but in some few, yet of the great grey snails4 I have not met with any that wanted it; and the same indeed so palpable, that without dissection it is discoverable by the hand.

Again, though it be not impossible, yet it is surely very rare; as we are induced to believe from some enquiry of our own, from the trial of many who have been deceived, and the frustrated search of Porta, who, upon the explorement of many, could scarce find one. Nor is it only of rarity, but may be doubted whether it be of existency, or really any such stone in the head of a toad at all. For although lapidaries and questuary enquirers affirm it, yet the writers of minerals and natural speculators are of another belief: conceiving the stones, which bear this name,5 to be a mineral

2 and this way is, &c.] This sentence was first added in the 6th edit. 3 near the head.] In the very same place on the top of the back, where the shell of the other snayle is fastened.— Wr.

4 grey snails.] I have heard itt avowched by persons of great quality, contemporarye to the old Lord Burleigh, Lord Treasurer of Englande, that hee alwayes wore a blue ribbon (next his leg, garter-wise) studded (thick) with these shels of the grey snayles, to allaye the heate of the goute, and that hee profest that hee found manifest releef in itt; and that yf by chance hee lefte itt off, the paine would ever returne most vehementlye.-Wr.

5 this name.] Toadstone, or bufonite, a species of traprock, called amygdaloid. It occurs in the traprock of Derbyshire, near Matlock.

CO

the

on, not to be found in animals, but in fields.

re Boëtius refers it to asteria or some kind of l stellaris, and plainly concludeth, reperiuntur in agris, tamen alii in annosis, ac qui diu in arundinetis, inter ru sentesque delituerunt, bufonis capitibus generari pertinac affirmant.

Lastly, if any such thing there be, yet must it not, aught I see, be taken as we receive it, for a loose and mo able stone, but rather a concretion or induration of t crany itself; for being of an earthy temper, living in t earth, and as some say feeding thereon, such induration may sometimes happen. Thus when Brassavolus after long search had discovered one, he affirms it was rather th forehead bone petrified, than a stone within the crany; an of this belief was Gesner. Which is also much confirme from what is delivered in Aldrovandus, upon experiment o very many toads, whose cranies or sculls in time grew hard and almost of a stony substance. All which considered, w must with circumspection receive those stones which commonly bear this name, much less believe the traditions, that in envy to mankind they are cast out, or swallowed down by the toad; which cannot consist with anatomy, and with the rest enforced this censure from Boëtius, ab eo tempore pro nugis habui quod de bufonio lapide, ejusque origine traditur.

6

What therefore best reconcileth these divided determinations, may be a middle opinion; that of these stones some may be mineral, and to be found in the earth, some animal, to be met with in toads, at least by the induration of their cranies. The first are many and manifold, to be found in Germany and other parts; the last are fewer in number, and in substance not unlike the stones in crabs' heads. This is agreeable unto the determination of Aldrovandus,* and is also the judgment of the learned Spigelius+ in his epistle unto Pignorius.8

But these toadstones, at least very many thereof, which are esteemed among us, are at last found to be taken not + Musei Calceolariani, sect. iii.

* De Mineral. lib. iv.

6 Which is also, &c.] First in 2nd edition.

7 toad.] See an account of a toad being found in a duck's egg, Literary Panorama, Aug. 1807, p. 1083.-Jeff.

8 What, therefore, &c.] First in 2nd edition.

of toads' heads, but out of a fish's mouth, being ely contrived out of the teeth of the lupus marinus, a often taken in our northern seas, as was publickly dered by an eminent and learned physician.* But, because n are unwilling to conceive so low of their toad-stones ich they so highly value, they may make some trial reof by a candent or red-hot iron applied unto the holand unpolished part thereof, whereupon, if they be true nes, they will not be apt to burn or afford a burnt odour, ich they may be apt to do, if contrived out of animal parts the teeth of fishes.

Concerning the generation of frogs, we shall briefly liver that account which observation hath taught us. By ɔgs I understand, not such as, arising from putrefaction, e bred without copulation, and because they subsist not ng, are called temporariæ;1 nor do I mean the little frog an excellent parrot-green, that usually sits on trees and ushes, and is therefore called ranunculus viridis, or arboeus; but hereby I understand the aquatile or water-frog, hereof, in ditches and standing plashes, we may behold any millions every spring in England. Now these do not, s Pliny conceiveth, exclude black pieces of flesh, which fter become frogs; but they let fall their spawn in the vater, of excellent use in physic,2 and scarce unknown unto ny. In this spawn, of a lentous and transparent body, are o be discerned many specks, or little conglobations, which in a small time become of a deep black, a substance more * Sir George Ent.

9 But these toad-stones, &c.] First in 6th edition.

1 temporaria.] It is truly wonderful that Sir Thomas, who was not unacquainted with the generation of the frog, and who in this paragraph has correctly distinguished three species, the temporaria, or common garden-frog, the tree-frog, and the water-frog (the esculenta), should propose a position so gratuitous and absurd as that one of these species owes its origin to putrefaction.

2 spawn in the water, &c.] The happiest experiment of this water, that I ever yet saw, was at Sir Thomas Coghil's, of Bletchington; where his eldest sonne, the squire (a widower) after a full liberal use of new claret in the must, for (5) continuate days fell into such an hæmorraghia at the nose, as by all applications inward and outward could not in 30 hours bee stopt; at last, sending for the surgeon, diverted itt by phlebotomy: the surgeon advisedly refusing to do itt, till he had given a scruple of diascordium in that water which saved it.-Wr.

compacted and terrestrious than the other; for it riseth not in distillation, and affords a powder when the white and aqueous part is exhaled. Now of this black or dusky substance is the frog at last formed; as we have beheld, including the spawn with water in a glass, and exposing it unto the sun. For that black and round substance, in a few days, began to dilate and grow longer, after awhile, the head, the eyes, the tail, to be discernible, and at last to become that which the ancients called gyrinus,3 we a porwigle, or tadpole.1 This in some weeks after becomes a perfect frog, the legs growing out before, and the tail wearing away, to supply the other behind; as may be observed in some which have newly forsaken the water; for in such, some part of the tail will be seen, but curtailed and short, not long and finny as before. A part provided them awhile to swim and move in the water, that is, until such time as nature excluded legs, whereby they might be provided not only to swim in the water, but

3 gyrinus.] This is the name of a genus of beetles.

tadpole.] Upon tryall I found that the tayle, after the space of a moone from the spawning, by degrees parted itt self into 2 legs, drawing dayly more and more till itt came to the vent of the belly. This experiment I made at Bishop's Fountill, Wiltes, where having digd a new pond, in a fatty soil of white malme, upon the head of a strong spring (the midst of October, 1625), I let it rest till February following, at what time observing the banks full of spawne, I causd a bottomless tubb, perforated with small holes, to bee sett in the pond, into which I putt a great quantity of spawne, at the full of the moone watching itt every day till the next full moone in March: by which times the tayles being growne 2 inches (like the tayle of a bleake or small gogeon) began visibly to grow bifide, and after one weeke was perfectly shaped into 2 legs, by help whereof, they gott over the tub into the neighbor pond, where they became an excellent food for some store of trouts, which used to feed from my hand, and grew so large thereby, that one of them was full 22 inches fish between the head and the tayle; as some worthy friends yet living can well remember, being present both at the taking and the eating.

Since this observation of the fishye tayle of a frog cleaving into 2 legs, I conceave that the Spaniards make a wholesome viand, and count itt a dish fitt for a princes table: which putts mee in minde of a storye which I received from my brother, the new Lord Bp. of Elye, and Count Palatine: what time following (the then) Prince Charles into Spain by appointment, and were come into the porte at Laredo, they were invited by the governor to dinner, and at the second course had a dish of the hinder legs of these frogs fryed, as a dainty of more esteem with them then the patrich.— Wr.

move upon the land, according to the amphibious and mixt intention of nature, that is to live in both. So that whoever observeth the first progression of the seed before motion, or shall take notice of the strange indistinction of parts in the tadpole, even when it moveth about, and how successively the inward parts do seem to discover themselves, until their last perfection, may easily discern the high curiosity of nature in these inferior animals, and what a long line is run to make a frog.

And because many affirm and some deliver, that in regard it hath lungs and breatheth, a frog may be easily drowned, though the reason be probable, I find not the experiment answerable; for fastening one about a span under water, it lived almost six days. Nor is it only hard to destroy one in water, but difficult also at land: for it will live long after the lungs and heart be out; how long it will live in the seed, or whether the spawn of this year being preserved, will not arise into frogs in the next, might also be enquired: and we are prepared to try.5

CHAPTER XIV.

That a Salamander lives in the fire.

6

THAT a salamander is able to live in flames, to endure and put out fire, is an assertion, not only of great antiquity, but confirmed by frequent and not contemptible testimony. The Egyptians have drawn it into their hieroglyphicks, Aristotle seemeth to embrace it; more plainly Nicander, Sarenus Sammonicus, Ælian, and Pliny, who assigns the cause of this effect: an animal (saith he) so cold, that it extinguisheth the fire like ice. All which notwithstanding, there is on the negative, authority and experience; Sextius a physician, as Pliny delivereth, denied this effect; Dioscorides affirmed it a point of folly to believe it; Galen, that it endureth the fire awhile, but in continuance is consumed therein. For expe

5 Nor is it only, &c.] First added in 5th edition.

6 The Egyptians, &c.] So says Pierius (p. 162, H), but_without authority. "Le lézard" is mentioned by Champollion as an Egyptian hieroglyphick.-Précis, p. 303.