Q. Why are so many beasts born blind, as lions' whelps and dogs' whelps. A. Because such beasts are not yet of perfect ripeness and maturity, and the course of nutriment doth not work in them. Thus the swallow, whose eyes, if they were taken out when they are young in their nest, would grow in again. And this is the case in many beasts who are brought forth before their time as it were dead, as bear's whelps.
Q. Why do the eyes of a woman that hath her flowers, stain new glass? And why doth a basilisk kill a man with his sight? A. When the flowers do run from a woman, then a most venomous air is distilled from them, which doth ascend into a woman's head; and she, having pain in her head, doth wrap it up with a cloth or handkerchief; and because the eyes
are full of insensible holes, which are called pores, there the air seeketh a passage, and infects the eyes, which are full of blood. The eyes also appear dropping and full of tears, by reason of the evil vapour that is in them; and these vapours are incorporated and multiplied till they come to the glass before them; and by reason that such a glass is round, clear and smooth, it doth easily receive that which is unclean. 2. The basilisk is a very venomous and infectious animal, and there pass from his eyes vapours which are multiplied upon the thing which is seen by him, and even unto the eye of man; the which venomous vapours or humours entering into the body, do infect him, and so in the end the man dieth. And this is also the reason why the basilisk, looking upon a shield perfectly well made with fast clammy pitch, or any hard smooth thing, doth kill itself, because the humours are beaten back from the hard smooth thing unto the basilisk, by which beating back he is killed.
Q. Why is the sparkling in cats' eyes and wolves' eyes seen in the dark and not in the light? A. Because that the greater light doth darken the lesser; and therefore, in a greater light the sparkling cannot be seen; but the greater the darkness, the easier it is seen, and is more strong and shining.
Q. Why is the sight recreated and refreshed by a green colour? A. Because green doth merely move the sight, and therefore doth comfort it; but this doth not, in black or white colours, because these colours do vehemently stir and alter the organ and instrument of the sight, and therefore make the greater violence; and by how much the more violent the thing is which is felt or seen the more it doth destroy and weaken the sense.
Of the Nose.
Q. Why doth the nose stand out further than any other part of the body. A. 1. Because the nose is, as it were, the sink of the brain, by which the phlegm of the brain is purged; and therefore it doth stand forth, lest the other parts should be defiled. 2. Because the nose is the beauty of the face, and doth smell.
Q. Why hath a man the worst smell of all creatures? A. Because man hath most brains of all creatures; and, therefore, by exceeding coldness and moisture, the brain wanteth a good disposition, and by consequence, the smelling instrument is not good, yea, some men have no smell.
Q. Why have vultures and cormorants a keen smell? A. Because they have a very dry brain; and, therefore, the air carrying the