the part only remaineth. Now this light, as it appeareth and disappeareth in their life, so doth it go quite out at their death; as we have observed in some, which preserved in fresh grass have lived and shined eighteen days: but as they declined, and the luminous humour dried, their light grew languid, and at last went out with their lives. Thus also the torpedo, which, alive, hath a power to stupify at a distance, hath none upon contraction being dead, as Galen and Rondeletius particularly experimented. And this hath also disappointed the mischief of those intentions, which study the advancement of poisons; and fancy destructive compositions from asp's or viper's teeth, from scorpion's or hornet's stings.5 For these amit their efficacy in the death of the individual,

5 And this hath also disappointed, &c.] The sting being secured from the bodye of a waspe as itt hung on the finger, turnd itt selfe and rann (up to the roots) into the finger, and caused a very dolorous and greate impostume. And one was bit by the head of a snake, after 6 hours' amputation whereof hee was never totally cured to his death: me teste oculato. Whether there may be destructive compositions made of those parts is uncertain: thus far itt is improbable; bycause the teeth of vipers and stings of scorpions are but the outward instrumentall partes through which the poysonous spirit of those venemous creatures is ejaculated by them while they live: but being dead, there is no such active quality in those parts more then anye other, and that the poyson consistes in the vital spirits is manifest, for that wee see the vipers drownd in a sack butt, infuse their spirit into the wine, making itt become an excellent antedote: the great quantitye of wine overcoming the small quantitye of the poyson which comes from them. The like may bee sayde of the vertue which together with the spirits of the scorpion, drownd in oyle, is imprinted on the oyle, makinge itt the only cure of the scorpion's stinge: whereof the reason is manifest. Oyle by nature, abates, and duls, and retundes the fiercenes and spreadinge of poyson injected into us by venemous creatures, where we may come to apply itt: but being dull of itt selfe, and not able to follow the swift spreading of the scorpions poyson, thro soe small a puncture, as soone as itt is felt, followes the poyson injected by the same waye; and soe making way for the oyle, wherein itt is caryed, caryes the balme that kils and deades the killing poyson before itt can seise on our vitall spirits to destroy them. And noe doubt but the oyle, wherein hornets are drowned, would cure their punctures alsoe; a thing worthe the tryall.-Wr.

It is not the case that the poison of serpents is only fatal when infused by the living reptile.-As is proved by the well-known fact that several individuals successively met their death by wearing a boot into the inside of which it was afterwards found the fang of a rattlesnake had stuck fast, so as to wound the leg when drawn on.

and act but dependently on their forms. And thus far also those philosophers concur with us, which held the sun and stars were living creatures, for they conceived their lustre depended on their lives, but if they ever died, their light must also perish.

It were a notable piece of art to translate the light from the Bononian stone into another body; he that would attempt to make a shining water from glow-worms, must make trial when the splendent part is fresh and turgid. For even from the great American glow-worms, and flaming flies, the light declineth as the luminous humour drieth.6

Now whether the light of animals, which do not occasionally shine from contingent causes, be not of kin unto the light of heaven; whether the invisible flame of life received in a convenient matter, may not become visible, and the diffused æthereal light make little stars by conglobation in idoneous parts of the compositum; whether also it may not have some original in the seed and spirit analogous unto the element of stars, whereof some glimpse is observable on the little refulgent humour, at the first attempts of formation; philosophy may yet enquire.7

True it is, that a glow-worm will afford a faint light, almost a day's space, when many will conceive it dead; but this is a mistake in the compute of death, and term of disanimation; for indeed, it is not then dead, but if it be distended will slowly contract itself again, which when it cannot do, it ceaseth to shine any more. And to speak strictly, it is no easy matter to determine the point of death in insects and creatures who have not their vitalities radically confined unto one part; for they are not dead when they cease to move or afford the visible evidences of life; as may be observed in flies, who when they appear even desperate and quite forsaken of their forms, by virtue of the sun or warm ashes will be revoked unto life, and perform its functions again.

Now whether this lustre, awhile remaining after death, dependeth not still upon the first impression, and light communicated or raised from an inward spirit, subsisting awhile in a moist and apt recipient, nor long continuing in this, or

6 It were a notable piece, &c.] This paragraph was first added in 6th edition.

7 Now whether, &c.] This paragraph was first added in 3rd edition.

the more remarkable Indian glow-worm; or whether it be of another nature, and proceedeth from different causes of illumination; yet since it confessedly subsisteth so little a while after their lives, how to make perpetual lights, and sublunary moons thereof as is pretended, we rationally doubt, though not so sharply deny, with Scaliger and Muffetus.8

13. The wisdom of the pismire is magnified by all, and in the panegyricks of their providence we always meet with this. That to prevent the growth of corn which they store up, they bite off the end thereof;9 and some have conceived that from hence they have their name in Hebrew ;* from

* Namalh à Namal circumcidit.

8 Now whether this lustre, &c.] This paragraph was first added in 3rd edition.

9 they bite off the end, &c.] A more satisfactory and interesting solution of this question cannot be given, than is contained in the following quotation from one of the most interesting works on natural history in our language. "When we find the writers of all nations and ages unite in affirming, that, having deprived it of the power of vegetating, ants store up grain in their nests, we feel disposed to give larger credit to an assertion, which at first sight seems to savour more of fact than of fable, and does not attribute more sagacity and foresight to these insects than in other instances they are found to possess. Writers in general, therefore, who have considered this subject, and some even of very late date, have taken it for granted that the ancients were correct in this notion. But when observers of nature began to examine the manners and economy of these creatures more narrowly, it was found, at least with respect to the European species of ants, that no such hoards of grain were made by them, and, in fact, that they had no magazines in their nests in which provisions of any kind were stored up. It was therefore surmised that the ancients, observing them carry about their pupa, which in shape, size, and colour, not a little resemble a grain of corn, and the ends of which they sometimes pull open to let out the inclosed insect, mistook the one for the other, and this action for depriving the grain of the corculum. Solomon's lesson to the sluggard has been generally adduced as a strong confirmation of the ancient opinion: it can, however, only relate to the species of a warm climate, the habits of which are probably different from those of a cold one ;-so that his words, as commonly interpreted, may be perfectly correct and consistent with nature, and yet be not at all applicable to the species that are indigenous to Europe. But I think, if Solomon's words are properly considered, it will be found that this interpretation has been fathered upon them, rather than fairly deduced from them. He does not affirm that the ant which he proposes to his sluggard as an example, laid up in her magazines stores of grain: Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise; which having neither captain, overseer, or ruler, prepares her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the

whence ariseth a conceit that corn will not grow if the extremes be cut or broken. But herein we find no security to prevent its germination; as having made trials in grains, whose ends cut off have notwithstanding suddenly sprouted, and according to the law of their kinds; that is, the roots of barley and oats at contrary ends, of wheat and rye at the same. And therefore some have delivered that after rainy weather they dry these grains in the sun: which if effectual, we must conceive to be made in a high degree and above the progression of malt; for that malt will grow, this year hath informed us, and that unto a perfect ear.

And if that be true which is delivered by many, and we shall further experiment, that a decoction of toad-stools if poured upon earth, will produce the same again; if sowthistles will abound in places manured with dung of hogs, which feed much upon that plant; if horse-dung reproduceth oats; if winds and rains will transport the seminals of plants; it will not be easy to determine where the power of generation ceaseth. The forms of things may lie deeper than we conceive them; seminal principles may not be dead in the divided atoms of plants; but wandering in the ocean of nature, when they hit upon proportionable materials, may unite and return to their visible selves again.

But the prudence of this animal is by gnawing, piercing, or otherwise, to destroy the little nib or principle of germination. Which, notwithstanding is not easily discoverable; it being no ready business to meet with such grains in ant-hills; and he must dig deep, that will seek them in the winter.1

harvest.' These words may very well be interpreted simply to mean, that the ant, with commendable prudence and foresight, makes use of the proper seasons to collect a supply of provisions sufficient for her purposes. There is not a word in them implying that she stores up grain or other provision. She prepares her bread and gathers her food, -namely, such food as is suited to her-in summer and harvest,—that is, when it is most plentiful,-and thus shows her wisdom and prudence by using the advantages offered to her. The words thus interpreted, which they may be without any violence, will apply to our European species as well as to those that are not indigenous."-Kirby and Spence, Introd. to Entomology, vol. ii. p. 45-47.

And if that be true, &c.] These two concluding paragraphs were first added in 3rd edition.

CHAPTER XXVIII.2

That the Chicken is made out of the yolk of the Egg; that Snakes sting; of the Tarantula; the Lamb of Tartary; the swiftness of Tigers; with sundry queries.

THAT a chicken is formed out of the yolk of the egg, was the opinion of some ancient philosophers. Whether it be not the nutriment of the pullet may also be considered; since umbilical vessels are carried unto it; since much of the yolk remaineth after the chicken is formed; since in a chicken newly hatched the stomach is tinged yellow, and the belly full of yolk, which is drawn in at the navel or vessels towards the vent, as may be discerned in chickens within a day or two before exclusion.

Whether the chicken be made out of the white, or that be not also its aliment, is likewise very questionable; since an umbilical vessel is derived unto it; since after the formation and perfect shape of the chicken, much of the white remaineth.

Whether it be not made out of the grando, gallature, germ or tred of the egg, as Aquapendente informeth us, seemeth to many of doubt: for at the blunter end it is not discovered after the chicken is formed; by this also the yolk and white are continued, whereby it may continually receive its nutriment from them both.

Now, that from such slender materials nature should effect this production, it is no more than is observed in other animals; and, even in grains, and kernels, the greatest part is but the nutriment of that generative particle, so disproportionable unto it.

A greater difficulty, in the doctrine of eggs, is, how the sperm of the cock prolificates and makes the oval conception fruitful, or how it attaineth unto every egg, since the vitellary or place of the yolk is very high; since the ovary or part where the white involveth it, is in the second region of the matrix, which is somewhat long and inverted; since also a cock will in one day fertilate the whole racemation

2 Chap. xxviii.] This chapter was added in 2nd edition, except two paragraphs, one added in 3rd and the other in the 6th edition.