(Vol. viii., p. 223.)
In reference to the article on the barnacle bird in "N. & Q." as above, I
send you a paper which I lately put in our local journal (_The Tralee
Chronicle_), containing a collection of notices of the curious errors and
_gradual_ correction of them, on the subject of the barnacle. I fear it may
be long for your columns, but don't know how to shorten it; nor can I well
omit another amusing notice of the subject, to which, since I published it,
an intelligent friend called my attention; it is from the _Memoirs of Lady
Fanshaw_:--
"When we came to Calais, we met the Earl of Strafford and Sir Kenelm
Digby, with some others of our countrymen; we were all feasted at the
Governor's of the castle, and much excellent discourse passed; but, as
was reason, most share was Sir Kenelm Digby's, who had enlarged
somewhat more in extraordinary stories than might be averred, and all
of them passed with great applause and wonder of the French then at
table; but the concluding one was--that barnacles, a bird in Jersey,
was first a shell-fish to appearance, and from that sticking upon old
wood, became in time a bird. After some consideration, they unanimously
burst out into laughter, believing it altogether false, and, to say the
truth, it was the only thing true he had discoursed with them!--that
was his infirmity, tho' otherwise a person of most excellent parts, and
a very free bred gentleman."--Lady Fanshaw's _Memoirs_, pp. 72-3.