The firste [laste] volume of the chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande conteyning the description and chronicles of England, from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest : the description and chronicles of Scotland, from the first original of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 : the description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation untill the yeare 1571 / faithfully gathered and set forth by Raphaell Holinshed.

Of the great plenty of Hares, redde Dere, and o∣ther wilde beastes in Scotland, of the strange properties of sundry Scottish Dogges, and of the nature of Salmon. Chap. 8.

HAuyng made this speciall description of the Realme of Scotland, now will I touche such thinges as concerne the same in generall. First of all therefore in the fieldes and wilde places of the countrey there is great plenty of Hares, red Dere, Fallow dere, Ro•…•…s, wilde Horses, Wolfes and Foxes. These Horses are not gotten but by great flight and pollicie: for in the winter season the in∣habitants turne certayne tame Horses and Mares amongst them, wherewith they growe in the ende [ 10] to be so familiar, that afterward they go with them to and fro, and finally home into theyr Maisters yardes, where they be taken & soone broken to their handes. The Wolues are most fierce and noysome vnto the heardes and flockes in all partes of Scot∣land, sauing in one parcell of Angus, called Glen∣nors dale, where these beastes do no maner of hurt vnto the domesticall cattell, but pray onely vpon the wilde. Foxes do much mischiefe generally in all steades, but chiefly in the Mountaynes, where [ 20] they be very hardly hunted, howbeit arte hath deui∣sed a meane to preuent their malice, and to preserue theyr pultrie. Certes there is almost no house that dothe not for certayne dayes cherishe vp a yong Foxe, which the Scottes do call a Todde, and then killing the same, they mince the fleshe thereof a∣mongst suche meate, as they giue vnto their foules and other litle bestial, and by this meanes so many foules and cattell as eate hereof are preserued from daunger of the Foxe, almost by two monethes af∣ter, [ 30] so that they may wander whether they will, for the Fores as it were winding or smelling the fleshe of their fellowes yet in their croppes, will in nowise meddle with them, but eschew and knowe suche a one, although it were among an hundred of other. In Scotland moreouer are Dogs of meruailous condition: for beside the common nature and vni∣uersall properties of Dogges of all other countries, there are three sortes with vs, whiche are not seene elswhere in any quarter of the worlde. The firste [ 40] is an Hounde of greate swiftnesse, hardinesse, and strenght, fierce and cruell vpon all wilde beastes, & egre against theeues, that offer their Maisters any violence. The second is a rache or hound very ex∣quisite in followyng the foote (which we call draw∣ing) whether it be of man or beast, yea he will pur∣sue any maner of foule, and finde out whatsoeuer fish is cast vp, or lurketh among the rockes, by that excellent sence of smelling wherewith he is indued. The thirde sorte is no greater than that of Raches, [ 50] in collour for the most parte red with blacke spots, or els blacke and full of redde markes. These are so skilfull that they will pursue a theefe or theefe sto∣len goodes in moste precise maner, and finding the trespasser, with great assuraunce, they will make a rayse vpon him. Or if it be so that he haue taken the water for his sauegarde, he shrinketh not to follow him, and entring and issuyng at the same places where the partie went in and out, he neuer ceaseth to raunge til he haue nosed his footing, and be come to the place wherein the theefe is shrowded. The Dogges of this kinde are called Sleuthoundes. Certes this report would seeme mere incredible, ex∣cepte it were dayly had in experience vpon the bor∣ders of Englande and Scotland, where pillage is good purchase indifferently on both sides. There is a lawe also among the borderers in time of peace, that who so denieth entraunce or sute of a Sleut∣hound in pursuyte made after fellons and stolen goodes, shalbe holden as accessary vnto the theft or taken for the selfe theefe.

Of foules suche (as I meane) as liue by pray, there are sundry sortes in Scotlande, as Egles, Faucons, Goshaukes, Sparhaukes, Marlions and such like, but of water Foules there is so great store that the report thereof may seeme to exceede all cre∣dite. There are other kindes of birdes also in this countrey, the like of whiche is no where els to be seene, as the Caper•…•…ailʒe or wilde Horse greater in body than the Rauen, and liuing only by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and barkes of the Pine trees. We haue in like ma∣ner many More cockes and Hennes, whiche •…•…∣steyning from corne do feede vpon nought els, but the leaues of Cytisus, whiche the Scottes do com∣monly call Hadder. These two are very delicate in Eating. The thirde sorte is reddish blacke of co∣lour, in quantitie comparable to the Phesaunt, and no lesse delicious in taste and sauour at the table, our countrey men call them wild Cockes, and their cheese sustenaunce is by wheate. Beside these, we haue moreouer another foule in Mers more strāge and vncouth than all these afore mentioned, called a Gustard, fully so great as a Swanne, but in co∣lour of feathers and taste of fleshe, little differing from a Partriche, howbeit these byrdes are not ve∣ry common, neyther to be seene in all places, suche also is their qualitie, that if they perceiue their egges to haue bene touched in theyr absence by mans hād (whiche lie commonly on the bare earth) they for∣sake those nestes and lay in other places. All other our foules are common to vs and other nations. Salmon is more plentifull in Scotland than in a∣ny other region of the worlde, and bicause the na∣ture of this fish is strange, I wil set downe somuch as I do knowe hereof at this present time as fol∣loweth. The Salmon in Haruest time, commeth vp into the small riuers, where the water is moste shallow, and there the male & female rubbing their wombe one agaynst another, they shedde theyr spawne, which forthwith they couer with sand and grauell & so depart away, from henceforth they are gant & slēder, & in apparance so leaue y^t thei appeare nought els but skin & bone, & therfore worthely sayd to be growne out of vse and season, it is sayd also y^t if they touche any of their full fellowes, during the time of this theyr leannesse, y^e same side which they

touched will likewise become leane, whereby it cōmeth to passe, that a Salmō is oft seene to be fat on the one side of y^e chyne, & leane on y^e other. But to proceede, the aforesayd spawne & milte being hidden in the sande (as you haue heard) in the next spring doth yeelde great numbers of li∣tle frie, but so neshe & tender, for a long time that till they come to be so great as a mans finger (if you catch any of thē) yon shal perceyue them to melt & their substance to dissolue & fade euen as [ 10] if it were gelly, or in sayd foorth against y^e sunne. Frō henceforth they go to the sea, where within the space of xx. dayes they grow to a maruey∣lous greatnesse, & then returning againe toward the place of their generation, they shew a nota∣ble spectacle not vnworthy to be considered of. Certes in Scotlande there are many linnes or pooles, whiche being in some places among the rockes very shallow aboue, & yet deepe beneath, with the fall of the water, & thereto the Salmon [ 20] not able to pearce thorow the Chanell, either for swiftnesse of the course or depth of the discen•…•…, of such water as cōmeth against him, he goeth so neare vnto the side of the rocke or damme, if I shall so call it, as he may, & there aduentureth to leape ouer & vp into the lin, if he leape well at the first, he abtaineth his desire, if not he, assayeth eftsoones the second or third time, till he returne now into his coūtry: a great fish able to swimme against the streame, that before was a litle hod [ 30] & ma•…•…gre his resistence, caried with the violent course of the water into the mayne Ocean, such as assay often to leape, and cannot get ouer, do broose thēselues & become Measelled: others that happen to fal vpon dry land a thing often seene, are taken by the people (that watch their times) in cawdrons of hote water, which they set vpon the shallow & dry plottes with fire vnder them, in hope to catche the fattest, & suche as by reason of theyr weight do oftenest leape shorte. Cer∣tes [ 40] y^e tast of these is reputed to be most delicate, and therfore their price is cōmonly greater than of the rest. It is inhibited in Scotland to take any Salmon from the eight of September, vn∣till the xv. of Nouember. Finally there is no mā that knoweth readily whereon this fishe liueth, for neuer was any thing yet found in their bel∣lies, other than a thicke slymy humour.