vulgarly called thunder-bolts or thunder-stones. They are composed of several crusts of stone encircling each other, of a conical form, and various sizes; usually a little hollow, and somewhat transparent, formed of several strata radiating from the axis to the surface of the stone; and when burnt or rubbed against one another, or scraped with a knife, yield an odour like rashed horn. Their size is various, from a quarter of an inch to eight inches; and their colour and shape differ. They are supposed to be originally either a part of some sea production; or a stone formed in the cavity of some worm-shell, which being of a tender and brittle nature, has perished, after giving its form to the stone. They are very frequently found in many parts of England; and the common people have a notion, that they are always to be met with after a storm. They are often inclosed in, or adhere to, other stones; and are most frequent amongst gravel, or in clay: they abound in Gloucestershire; and are found near Dedington in Oxfordshire, where they sometimes contain the silver marcasite.

Belerium, (anc. geog.), a promontory of the Dumnonii or Damnonii, the westmost Britons. Now called the land's end, in Cornwall.