smell, is not hindered by the humidity of the brain, but doth presently touch its instrument; and, therefore, vultures, tigers and other ravenous beasts, have been known to come five hundred miles after dead bodies.
Q. Why did nature make the nostrils? A. 1. Because the mouth being shut we draw breath in by the nostrils, to refresh the heart. 2. Because the air which proceedeth from the mouth doth savour badly, because of the vapours which rise from the stomach, but that which we breathe from the nose is not noisome. 3. Because the phlegm which doth proceed from the brain is purged by them.
Q. Why do men sneeze? A. That the expulsive virtue and power of the sight should thereby be purged, and the brain also from superfluities; because, as the lungs are purged by coughing, so is the sight and brain by sneezing; and therefore physicians give sneezing medicaments to purge the brain; and thus it is, such sick persons as cannot sneeze, die quickly, because it is a sign their brain is wholly stuffed with evil humours, which cannot be purged.
Q. Why do such as are apoplectic sneeze, that is, such as are subject easily to bleed? A. Because the passages, or ventricles of the brain are stopped, and if they could sneeze, their apoplexy would be loosed.
Q. Why does the heat of the sun provoke sneezing, and not the heat of the fire? A. Because the heat of the sun doth dissolve, but not consume, and therefore the vapour dissolved is expelled by sneezing; but the heat of the fire doth dissolve and consume, and therefore doth rather hinder sneezing than provoke it.
Of the Ears.
Q. Why do beasts move their ears, and not men? A. Because there is a certain muscle near the under jaw which doth cause motion in the ear; and therefore, that muscle being extended and stretched, men do not move their ears, as it hath been seen in divers men; but all beasts do use that muscle or fleshy sinew, and therefore do move their ears.
Q. Why is rain prognosticated by the pricking up of asses' ears? A. Because the ass is of a melancholic constitution, and the approach of rain produceth that effect on such a constitution. In the time of rain all beasts prick up their ears, but the ass before it comes.
Q. Why have some animals no ears? A. Nature giveth unto everything that which is fit for it, but if she had given birds ears, their flying would have been hindered by them. Likewise fish want ears, because they would