Chapter D: E B O. A Rain-bow about the Sun, forming an entire Circle, but (6)

To all which, the curious Dr. _Beale_ now adds a Narrative of a Stone, not long since taken out of the Womb of a Woman of his neighbourhood neer _Trent_ in _Somersetshire_, by incision, and afterwards perfectly cured, though she had born the Stone with extreme torments for. 8. or 9. years. The operation he relates to have been made in _Easter_ last; after which time, he affirms to have seen the Stone, and weigh'd it in Gold Scales, where it wanted somewhat of four Ounces, but had lost of the weight, it formerly had, {321} being very light for a Stone of that Bulk. He further describes to be of a whitish colour, lighter than Ash-colour; perchance (_saith he_) not unlike to that recited out of _Scaliger_ by Mr. _Boyle_ in his _Essay of Firmness_ pag. 238. _qui aëris contactis postea in gypseam tum speciem tum firmitatem concreverat_. It had no deep asperities, and had somewhat of an Oval figure, but less at one end, than a Hen-Egge, and bigger and blunter at the other end, than a Goose egge.

This Stone, (so he concludes) is intended for the _Royal Society_, with the Testimony of the _Chirurgion_, that perform'd the Operation, and other Witnesses of special credit; where also will be annexed the _manner_ of Operation.

It appears by this last clause (to add that on this occasion) that this Well-wisher to the Improvement of all usefull knowledge, has taken notice of that considerable _Collection of Curiosities_, lately presented to the lately nam'd Society for their _Repository_, by the Publick-minded Gentleman Mr. _Daniel Colwall_, a very worthy and useful Member of that Body: To which Repository whatsoever is presented as rare and curious, will be with great care, together with the _Donors names_ and their _Beneficence_ recorded, and the things preserved for After-ages, (probably much better and safer, than in their own private Cabinets;) and in progress of Time will be employed for considerable Philosophical and Usefull purposes; of which perhaps more largely in another place.

* * * * *

_A Relation of a kind of _Worms_ that eat out Stones._

This is taken out of a Letter, written by one _M. de la Voye_ to _M.
Auzout_, to be found in the 32. _Journal des Scavans_; as follows.

In a great and very ancient Wall of Free-Stone in the _Benedictins Abby_ at _Caen_ in _Normandy_, facing Southward, there are to be found many Stones so eaten by Worms, that one may run his hand into most of the Cavities which are variously fashion'd, like the Stones, which I have seen wrought with so much Art in the _Louvre_: In these cavities there is abundance of live-Worms, their excrement, and of that Stone-dust, they eat. Between many of the Cavities there remain but leaves, as it were, of Stone, very thin, which part them. I have taken some of these living Worms, which I found in the eaten Stone, and put them into a Box with several bits of the Stone; leaving them there together for the space of eight days; and then opening the Box, the Stone seem'd to me eaten so sensibly, that I could no longer doubt of it, I send you the Box and the Stones in it, together with the living Worms: and to satisfie your Curiosity, I shall relate to you, what I have observed of them both _with_ and _without_ a _Microscope_. {322}

These Worms are inclosed in a Shell, which is grayish and of the bigness of a Barly-corn, sharper at one end, than the other. By the means of an excellent _Microscope_ I have observ'd, that 'tis all overspread with little Stones and little greenish Eggs; and that there is at the sharpest end a little hole by which these Creatures cast out their excrement, and at the other end, a somewhat bigger hole, through which they put out their heads and fasten themselves to the Stones, they gnaw. They are not so shut up, but that sometimes they come out, and walk abroad. They are all black, about two _Lines_ of an inch long and three quarters of a _Line_ large. Their Body is distinguish't into several plyes, and near their head they have three feet on each side, which have but two Joynts resembling those of a Lowse. When they move, their Body is commonly upwards, with their mouth against the Stone. They have a big head, somewhat flat, and even, of the colour of a Tortoise-Shell, braunish, with some small white hair. Their mouth is also big; where may be seen four kinds of Jaw-bones, lying crossewise, which they move continually, opening and shutting them like a pair of _Compasses_, with four branches. The Jaws on both sides of the mouth are all black, the nether Jaw hath a point like the Sting of a Bee, but uniform. They draw threds out of their mouth with their fore-feet, using that point to range them, and to form their Shells of them. They have Ten Eyes, very black and round, which appear to be bigger than a Pins head. There are five of them on each side of the head, standing after this manner,

But besides these Worms, I have found, that _Mortar_ is eaten by an infinite number of small Creatures, of the bigness of Chees-Mites. These have but two Eyes, and are blackish. They have four feet on each side pretty long. The point of their Muzzle is very sharp, as that of a Spider. I send you but one of them, though I had abundance, but they are dead and lost. It may be, you'l find some at _Paris_, seeing that in the old Mortar betwixt Stones, that is found in Walls made with rubbish, there is great store of them, together with great plenty of their little Eggs. I have not yet examined, whether these be those, that in the surfaces of all the Stones, where they are met with, make little round holes, and small traces and impressions, which make them look like _Worm-eaten Wood_. But 'tis probable, they are such. It should be observed, whether these Worms do not take Wings, and all the other appearances of Caterpillars; and whether they are not to be found in plaister that is full of holes, in Bricks, in Greety Stones, and in Rocks.

You may observe more of them in Walls exposed to the _South_, than in others; and that the Worms, that eat the Stone, live longer, then those, {323} that eat the Mortar, which keep not above eight days alive. I have observed all their parts with a very good _Microscope_, without which, and a great deal of attention, 'tis difficult to see them well.

I have seen other very old Walls altogether eaten, as those of the _Temple_ at _Paris_, where I could find no Worms, but the Cavities were full of Shells of various kinds, diversly figur'd and turn'd: all which I believe to be little Animals petrified.

* * * * *

_Some promiscuous Observations, made in _Somerset shire_, and imparted by the above-mentioned Dr. _Beale_._

His words are these, in a Letter to the _Publisher_, of the 24. _Septemb._ 1666 at _Yeovill_ in _Somersetshire_;

I have two or three remarks, perhaps not unworthy to be recorded for further application in like cases of time and place

1. In the Moores from hence towards _Bridgewater_, in the extreme drought, we have endured this Summer, some lengths of pasture grew much sooner whithered and parched, than the other pasture. And this Parched part seem'd to bear the length and shape (in gross) of Trees. They digg'd, and found, in the place, _Oakes_ indeed, as black as Ebony. And hence they have been instructed to find and take up many hundreds of Oakes, as a neighbour of good credit assures me. This advertisement may be instructive for other parts, as _Kent_, _Essex_, _Lincoln_, &c.

[Sidenote: * _This had somewhat of a Vitriolate taste. But the Experiment being made with greater quantities of this water, which questionless will be done, the nature and kind of it may be better known._]

2. My Cosen _Philips_ of _Montague_ has in his pastures of _Socke_, about three miles off, a large Pool, to which Pigeons resort; but the Cattle will not drink of it, no not in the extream want of water in this drought. To the taste it is not only brackish, but hath other loathsome tasts. In a Venice-glass it looked greenish and clear, just like the most greenish Cider as soon as it is perfectly clarified. I boyl'd a Pint of it in a Posnet of Bell-Mettall (commonly used to preserve Sweatmeats:) suddenly it yeilded a thick froth, whence I scumm'd half a score Spoonfulls; of which the inclosed is a part, * Suffering the water to be boyl'd all away, it left much of the same on the sides and bottom of the Posnet.

3. From _Lamport_, towards _Bridge water_, Eeles are so cheap in the frosts of Winter, that they vend them for little. Their abundance is from hence, that as the people walk, in the frosty Mornings, on the banks of river, they discern, towards the edges of the banks, some parts _not hoar_, as the rest, but _green_; where searching the holes of the banks they find heaps of Eeles.

{324}

* * * * *

_A Problem for finding the Year of the _Julian Period_ by a new and very easie Method._

This occurs in the _Journal des Scavans_ n^o. 96. as it had been proposed communicated to the Learned _Jesuit DE BILLY_. viz.

Multiply the _Solar_ Cycle by 4845. and the _Lunar_, by 4200. and that of the _Indiction_, by 6916. Then divide the Sum of the Products by 7980. which is the _Julian Period_: The _Remainder_ of the Division, without having regard to the _Quotient_, shall be the year required after.

E. g. Let the Cycle of the _Sun_ be 3; of the _Moon_ 4; and of the _Indiction_, 5. Multiply 3. by 4845, and you have 14535; and 4. by 4200. comes 16800; and 5. by 6916. comes 34580. The Sum of the products is 65915, which being divided by 7980. gives 8. for the _Quotient_, and the number 2075. which remains, is the Year of the _Julian Period_.

Some learned Mathematicians of _Paris_, to whom the said _P. de Billy_, did propose this _Problem_, have found the Demonstration thereof; as the same _Journal_ intimates.

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_An Account of some Books, not long since published._