" These fowls, he
continues, are formed from worms which are found in wood that has been
long immersed in salt water, and he avers that their transformation
was "notably provyn in the zier of God 1480 besyde the castell of
Petslego, in the sycht of mony pepyll," by a tree which was cast
ashore, in which the creatures were seen, partly formed, and some
with head, feet, and wings; "bot thay had na faderis." Some years
afterwards, a tree was thrown on the beach near Dundee, with the same
appearances, and a ship broken up at Leith exhibited the same marvel;
but he clinches the argument by a "notable example schawin afore our
eyne. Maister Alexander Galloway Person, of Kynkell, was with us in
thir Illis (the Hebridae), and be adventure liftet up ane see tangle,
hyng and full of mussil schellis," one of which he opened, "bot than
he was mair astonist than afore, for he saw na fische in it bot ane
perfit schapin foule. This clerk, knawin us richt desirous of sic
uncouth thingis, came haistely, and opinit it iwith all circumstance
afore rehersit.
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