5o NaturalMagick,

and grow together, as being very near each to other; the like whereof wemay fee in the fruits of Trees , many of them being twins, and growing intoeach other. Now, if the two yelks be distinguished by a small skinne, thenthey yield two perfect chickens without any blemish: bur if the yelks be med-dled one with another, without any skinne to part them, then that whichis produced thereof, is a Monster. Seek out therefore some fruitful Hermes,and procure some of the perfectest egges that they lay : you may knowwhich are for your purpose, by the bignessc of them ; if not , then holdthem against the Sun, and you (ball discern, both whether there be in themtwo yelks, and also whether they be distinguished or no: and if you findein them such plenty of matter, that you see they are for your turn, let thembe sitten upon, their due time, and the chickens will have four wings andfour legges: but you must have a special care in bringing them up. And assome egges have two yelkes, so there are some that have three: but theseare not so common; and if they could be gotten, they would yield chickenswith six wings and sixs legges, which would be more wonderful. There hathbeen seen a small Duck with four feet, having a broad thin bill, her fore-parts black, her hinder-parts yellow, a black head, whitish eyes, blackwings, and a black circle about her neck, and her back and tail black, yel-low feet, and not standing far asunder ; and (be is at this day kept to be seenat Torga. No question bur (he was generated after the fame manner as wespake even now of chickens. So they report of a Pigeon that was seen whichhad sour feet. And many such monsters we have oft-times hatcht at homefor pleasure sake. So also are Serpents generated, having many heads and ma-ny tailes. Aristotle writes of certain Serpents, that they may be generatedafter the fame manner, to have many heads. The Poets, and the ancient de-visers of Fables, do speak much of that Hydra Lerræa, which was one ofHercules labours to overcome: which Fiction was without all question occa-sioned by these kinds of Monsters. And whilst I was imployed about thewriting of this present work, there wag in Naples a Viper seen alive, whichhad two heads, and three cloven tongues, and moved everyone of them up anddown. J my self have seen many Lizards that had two or three tails , whichthe common people most foolishly esteem to be a jest ; and it cannot be but thesewere generated of such egges as had two yelks.

Chap. XVIIT.

Of certain other teaks hove to produce monstrous births*

tX/Emay also produce Monsters by another way then that which we spake of* ’ before; for even after they are brought forth , we may fashion them into amonstrous shape, even as we list: for as v.e may shape young fruits as they grow,into the fashion of any vessel or case that we make for them to grow into;as we may makes Quince like a mans head, a Cucumber like a Snake, by ma-king a cafe of that fashion for them to grow in; so also we may do by thebirths of living Creatures. Hippocrates in his book of Air, aud Water, andPlaces, doth precisely set down the manner hereof; and sheweth how theydo it, that dwell by the River Phasis, all of them being very long-headed,whereas no other Nation is so besides. And surely Custom was the firstcause that they had such heads; but afterward Nature framed her self to that Cu-sieme i insomuch that they esteemed it an honourable thing to have a verylong head. The beginning of that Custcme was thus. As soon as the childwas new born, whiles his head was yet soft and tender, they would pre-sently crush it in their hands, and so cause it to grow out in length; yea theywculd bindit up with swathing bands, that it might not grow round, but allin length: and by this custom it cime to paste, that their heads afterward