Folk-Medicine in County Cork

The records of fabulous stones associated with birds are here examined systematically for the first time. Some were purported to be obtained from within the bird and others obtained from the nest. Zahir mora, the Adjutant Bird Stone, was used against snake bite, whilst Alectorius (the Cock Stone), Aetites (the Eagle Stone) and Vulturis (the Vulture Stone) shared a multiplicity of medicinal applications. Quirin (the Hoopoe Stone), Chloritis (the Wagtail Stone) and Corvina (the Crow Stone) supposedly possessed occult powers. The Penguin Stone, Ostrich Stone and Pigeon Stone were probably gastroliths.