What is "aetites"

Aetites \A`["e]*ti"tes\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ? (sc. ?) stone, fr. ? eagle.] See Eaglestone.

n. An eaglestone. (from 15th c.)

In the magico-medical tradition of Europe and the Near East, the aetites (singular in Latin) or aetite ( anglicized) is a stone used to promote childbirth. It is also called an eagle-stone, aquiline, or aquilaeus. The stone is said to prevent spontaneous abortion and premature delivery, while shortening labor and parturition for a full-term birth.

From Theophrastus onwards, the belief is also recorded that the stone had the ability to "give birth" to other stones, based on the crystals found within. This fed into the belief that at least some minerals could be gendered into male and female forms.