The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XXII. Of the admirable nature of Birds, and of some Beasts.

THAT there bee divers things not onely in the Sea, but also in the aire, and earth, which by the wonderfull condition of their nature may e∣quall that of Monsters, the onely Estrich may serve for a witnesse. It is the biggest of Birds, though indeed it partly resembles a bird, and partly a beast (and it is familiar to Africa and Aethiopia) as which contrary to the nature of * 1.1 beasts hath feathers, and against the custome of birds, cannot flye aloft; for it hath not feathers fit to flye, but like unto haires, yet will it out-run a horse. The naturall force of the stomacke in concocting is miraculous, as to which nothing is untame∣able: * 1.2 shee layes egges of a wondrous largenesse, so that they may bee framed into cuppes: their feathers are most beautifull, as you may perceive by this following figure.

[illustration]

The figure of an Estrich.

Any one may easily gather of what a prodigious magnitude an Estrich is, by the greatnesse of his bones. Three of these birds were kept at the Kings charge, by the Mareschall de Rets: one whereof dying, it was bestowed upon mee, whereof I have with great diligence made a Sceleton.

[illustration]

The delineation of the Sceleton of an Estrich.

A. Shewes the head, which was somewhat thicker than the head of a Crane, of the length of ones hand, plaine from the crowne even to the beake; the beake being divided to the middle region of the eye, being roundish at the end thereof.

B. The necke, a yard long, consisting of seventeene vertebrae, each whereof on each side is furnished with a transverse processe looking downewards, of some fin∣gers length, excepting the two which are next the head, as which want these, and are joyned together by Ginglymos.

C. The backe is of a foots length, consisting of seven Vertebrae.

D, The holy-bone of two foot long, in whose top there is a transverse processe, under which there lyes a great hole.

E. Three more, but lesse.

F. G. H. After which there followes the cavity or socket, whereinto the head of the thigh-bone is received and hid. This externally and on the side produceth a perforated bone, noted with the letter, I. perforated I say at the beginning, for it is presently united at the letter, K. then is it forked and divided into two other bones, whereof one is bigger than the other. The lesse is noted with the letter, L. then are they both united at the letter M. each of them is halfe a foot and foure inches long. But from that part whereas they first begun to bee divided, to that whereas they are united, there is a hole some foure fingers broad, but the length of ones hand, or more, and it is noted with the letter, N. The residue of the bone is like to a pruning knife three inches broad, but sixe in length: at the end where∣under is the letter, O. it is joyned by coalition.

P. The rumpe consisting of nine vertebrae, like to a mans. The thigh-bones are two, whereof that which is noted with the letter Q. is of the length of a foot, and of thickenesse equall to a horses thigh. The other next under (which peradven∣ture you may call the legge-bone) noted with R. is a foot and halfe long: it hath joyned thereto the Fibula, or lesser focile of the like length, but which growes smaller as it comes lower.

S. Is the legge, to which the foot adheres, being one foot and a halfe long, divi∣ded

[illustration]

at the end into two clawes, the one bigger, the other lesse, whereof each consists of three bones.

T. Eight ribbes, which are inserted into the Sternon, the three middlemost of these have a bony production like to a hook.

V. Is the Sternon, consisting of one bone of some foots length, representing a buckler, to this there is joyned another bone, which stretched over the three first ribs, is in stead of clavicles or collar-bones.

X. The first bone of the wing, which is one foot and halfe long.

Y, Two bones under this, equivalent to the ell and wand, under which there are sixe other bones composing the point of the wing, noted with Z.

This whole Sceleton is seven foot long, and so many foot or more high from the feet to the beake: there are many other observable things in her composure, but I have thought fit to omit them for brevities sake.

Jerome Cardane in his bookes De subtilitate, writes that in the Hands of the Moluc∣ca's, * 1.3 you may sometimes find lying upon the ground, or take up in the waters, a dead bird called a Manucodiata, that is in Hebrew, the bird of God, it is never seene alive. It lives aloft in the aire, it is like a Swallow in body and beake, yet distinguished with divers coloured feathers: for those on the toppe of the head are of a golden colour, those of the necke like to a Mallard, but the taile and wings like Peacocks; * 1.4 it wants feet: Wherefore if it become weary with flying, or desire sleepe, it hangs up the bo∣dy by twining the feathers about some bough of a tree. It passeth through the aire, wherein it must remaine as long as it lives, with great celerity, and lives by the aire and dew onely. The cocke hath a cavity deprest in the backe, wherein the hen laies and sits upon her egges. I saw one at Paris which was presented to King Charles the ninth.

[illustration]

The effigies of a Manucodiata, or bird of Paradise.

Wee have read in Thevets Cosmography, that he saw a bird in America, which in * 1.5 that country speech is called Touca, in this very monstrous & deformed, for that the beake in length and thickenesse, exceeds the bignesse of the rest of the body; it feeds on pepper, as the black-birds and felfires with us do upon Ivie berries, which are not lesse hot than pepper.

A certaine Gentleman of Provence brought a bird of this kinde from that coun∣try, to present it to King Charles the ninth, but dying in the way he could not present it alive. Wherefore the King wished the Mareschal de Rets to give her to me, that I

might take forth her bowells and embalme her, that she might bee kept amongst the Kings rarities. I did what I could, yet not long after she rotted: she resembled a crow in body and feathers, but had a yellowish beake, cleere, smooth, and toothed like a saw, and of such length and thicknesse as we formerly mentioned. I keep it yet as a certaine monstrous thing.

Thevet writes that in the Iland Zocetera there is frequently found a certaine wild beast called Hulpalis, of the bignesse of an Aethiopian Monkey. It is a very mon∣stroas * 1.6 creature, but in nothing more, than that it is thought to live upon the aire on∣ly; the skinne, as if it were died in graine, is of a scarlet colour, yet is it in some pla∣ces spotted & variegated: it hath a round head like to a boule, with feet round, broad, and wanting hurtfull nailes. The Moores kill it and use to eat the flesh of it, being first bruised, that so it may be the more tender.

In the Realme of Camota, of Ahob, of Benga, and other mountaines of Cangipa, Plimati{que} and Catagan, which are in the inner India, beyond the river of Ganges, * 1.7 some five degrees beyond the Tropicke of Cancer, is found a beast, which the we∣sterne Germanes call Giraffe. This beast in head, eares, and cloven feet, is not much unlike our Doe; it hath a very slender necke, but it is some sixe foot long, and there are few beasts that exceed him in the length of their legges: his taile is round, but reacheth no further than his hammes, his skin is exceeding beautifull, yet somewhat rough, having haire thereon somewhat longer than a Cow, it is spotted and variega∣red in some places with spors of a middle colour, betweene white and chesnut, so as Leopards are: for which cause by some greeke Historians it is called a Cameleopar∣dalis: it is so wilde before it bee taken, that with the good-will it will not so much as be seen. Therefore it inhabites and lives only in desart and secret places, unknown to the rest of the beasts of that region. He presently flyes away at the sight of a man, yet is he taken at length, for that he is not very speedy in his running away; once ta∣ken, he is as easily and speedily tamed as any wild beast whatsoever. He hath above his crowne two straight horns covered with haires, and of a foots length. When as he holds up his head and necke hee is as high as a Lance. He feeds upon herbes, and the leaves and boughes of trees, yea and he is also delighted with bread.

[illustration]

The effigies of a Giraffa.

Such as saile in the red sea alongst the coast of Arabia, meet with an Iland called by the Arabians Cademota; in that part thereof where the river Plata runnes, is found a wild beast, called by the barbarous inhabitants Parassoupi, being of the bignesse of a Mule, headed not unlike one, yet rough and haired like to a Beare, but not of so dark a colour, but inclining to yellow, with cloven feet like a Hart: shee hath two long hornes on her head, but not branched, somewhat resembling those so much magni∣fyed hornes of Unicornes. For the natives of the place, bitten by the venemous tooth of either beast or fish, are presently helped and recover by drinking the water wherein such hornes have beene infused for sixe or seven dayes space, as Thevet in his Cosmography reports.

In one of the Ilands of the Molucca's there is found a Beast living both on land and water like as a Crocodile; it is called Camphurch, it is of the bignesse of an Hart, it hath one horne in the forehead, moveable after the fashion of the nose of a Turky-cocke: it is some three foot and an halfe long, and never thicker than a mans arme; his neck is covered over with haire of an ash colour, he hath two feet like to a gooses feet, wherwith he swims both in fresh and salt waters. His fore feet are like to a stags,

he lives upon fish. Many have perswaded themselves that this beast is a kind of Uni∣corne, and that therefore his horne should bee good against poysons. The King of the Iland loves to be called by the name of this beast; and so also other Kings take to themselves the names of the wilde beasts, fishes, or fruits, that are most pretious and observable in their dominions, as Thevet reports.

Mauritania and Aethiopia, and that part of Africke that is beyond the desarts and syrtes, bring forth Elephants; but those of India are farre larger. Now although in the largenesse of their body they exceed all foure footed beasts, yet may they bee * 1.8 more speedily and easily tamed than other beasts. For they may be taught to doe many things above the common nature of beasts. Their skin is somewhat like to a Buffles, with little haire upon it, but that which is, is ash coloured, his head large, his necke short, his eares two handfulls broad, his nose or trunke very long, and han∣ging down almost to the ground, hollow like as a trumpet, the which he useth in stead of an hand, his mouth is not farre from his beast, not much unlike a swines, from the upper part whereof two large teeth thrust forth themselves, his legges are thicke and strong, not consisting of one bone as many formerly have falsly believed (for they kneele to admit their Rider, or to bee laden, and then rise up againe of them∣selves) his feet are round like a quoit some two or three hands breadth, and divided into five clefts. He hath a taile like a Buffle, but not very rough, some three hands breadth long, wherefore they would be much troubled with flyes and waspes, but * 1.9 that nature hath recompenced the shortness of their tailes by another way; for when they finde themselves molested, they contract their skin so strongly, that they suf∣focate and kill these little creatures taken in the wrinkles thereof; they overtake a man running by going onely, for his legges are proportionable to the rest of his bo∣dy.

They feed upon the leaves and fruits of trees, neither is any tree so strong or well rooted, which they cannot throw downe and breake. They grow to bee sixteene handfulls high, wherefore such as ride upon an Elephant are as much troubled as if they went to sea. They are of so unbridled a nature, that they cannot endure any head-stall or raines, therefore you must suffer them to take the course and way they please. Yet doe they obey their country men without any great trouble; for they seeme after some sort to understand their speech, wherefore they are easily gover∣ned by their knowne voices and words. They throw down a man that angers them, first taking him up with their Trunke and lifting him aloft, and then letting him fall, * 1.10 they tread him under foot, and leave him not before he bee dead. Aristotle writes that Elephants generate not before they be twenty yeeres old: they know not adul∣tery, neither touch they any female but one, from which they also diligently abstain * 1.11 when they know she hath once conceived. It cannot be knowne how long they goe with young; the reason is for that their copulation is not seen, for they never do it but in secret. The females bring forth resting upon their hinde legges, and with paine like women, they licke their young, and these presently see and goe, and sucke with their mouths, and not with their Trunkes. You may see Elephants teeth of a mon∣strous and stupendious bignesse, at Venice, Rome, Naples, and Paris; they terme it I∣vory, and it is used for Cabinets, Harps, Combes, and other such like uses.

[illustration]

The figure of an Elephant.

We have read in Thevet, that in Florida there are great Bulls, called in that coun∣try tongue Beautrol, they have hornes of a foot long, a bunch on their backe like a * 1.12 Camell, their haire long and yellow, the taile of a Lion; there is scarce any creature more fierce or wild, for it can never be tamed unlesse it be taken from the dam. The Salvages use their Hides against the cold, and their hornes as an Antidote against * 1.13 poyson.

The same author affirmes that whilest he sayled in the red sea, hee saw a monster in the hands of certaine Indian merchants, which in bignesse and shape of his limbs was not unlike a Tiger, yet had the face of a man, but a very flat nose: besides, his fore feet were like a mans hands, but the hinde like the feet of a Tiger, hee had no taile, he was of a dun colour: to conclude, in head, eares, necke, and face it resem∣bled a man, but in the blackish and curled haire, a More; for the other parts they were like a Tiger; they called it Thanacth.

[illustration]

The figure of a beast called Thanacth.

This following monster is so strange that it will scarce bee believed, but by those that have seene it: it is bred in America, and by the Salvages called Haiit, of the big∣nesse of a Monkey, with a great belly, almost touching the ground, and the head and face of a child: being taken, it mournes and sighes like to a man that is troubled and perplext; it is of an ashe colour, hath the feet divided into three clawes, foure fin∣gers long, and sharper than those of a Lion: it climbes trees, and lives there more frequently than upon the ground, the taile is no longer than the breadth of three fin∣gers. It is strange and almost monstrous that these kinde of creatures have never bin seene to feed upon or eat any thing: for the salvages have kept them long in their houses to make triall thereof, wherefore they thinke them to live by the aire.

[illustration]

The figure of a beast called Haiit.

I have taken this following monster out of Leo's African history; it is very de∣formed, being round after the manner of a Tortoise, two yellow lines crossing each other at right angles, divide his backe, at every end of which he hath one eye, and also one eare, so that such a creature may see on every side with his foure eyes, as also heare by his so many eares: yet hath hee but one mouth, and one belly to con∣taine his meat; but his round body is encompassed with many feet, by whose helpe he can go any way he please without turning of his body, his taile is something long and very hairy at the end. The inhabitants affirme that his blood is more effectuall in healing of wounds than any balsome. * 1.14

[illustration]

It is strange that the Rhinoceros should be a born enemy to the Elephant; wherfore he whets his horne, which growes upon his nose, upon the rockes, and so prepares * 1.15 himselfe for fight, wherein he chiefly assailes the belly, as that which he knowes to be the softest: he is as long as an Elephant, but his legs are much shorter, he is of the co∣lour of box, yet somewhat spotted, Pompey was the first that shewed one at Rome.

[illustration]

The effigies of a Rhinoceros.

[illustration]

The figure of a Chameleon.

Africa produceth the Cha∣meleon, yet is it more fre∣quent * 1.16 in India: he is in shape and greatnesse like a Lizard, but that his legs are straight, and higher, his sides are joy∣ned to the belly as in fish, & * 1.17 his backe stands up after the same manner, his nose stands out not much unlike a swines, his taile is long, and endeth sharpe, and hee foulds it up in a round, like a serpent, his nailes are crooked, his pace slow like as the Tortoise, his body rough, hee never shuts his eyes, neither doth hee looke about by the moving of the apple, but by the tur∣ning of the whole eye. The nature of his colour is very wonderfull, for he changeth * 1.18 it now and then in his eyes and taile, and whole body beside; and hee alwaies assi∣mulates that which he is next to, unlesse it be red or white. His skin is very thinne, and his body cleare; therefore the one of these two, either the colour of the neighbou∣ring things in so great subtle∣ty of his cleare skinne, easily shines as in a glasse; or else various humors diversly stir∣red up in him, according to the variety of his affections, represent divers colours in his skinne, as a Turky-cocke doth in those flethy excres∣cences under his throat, and upon his head: hee is pale when he is dead. Mathiolus writes that the right eye ta∣ken from a living Chameleon takes away the white spots which are upon the horny coat of the eye; his body be∣ing beaten, and mixed with Goats milke, and rubbed u∣pon any part, fetcheth off haires; his gall discusseth the Cataracts of the eye.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Estrich is Betweene a bird and a beast.
• * 1.2

  The wondrous force of her sto∣macke.
• * 1.3

  The descripti∣on of the bird of Paradise.
• * 1.4

  Whosoever desires to know more of the truth of this bird, let him read Clusius in the Auctarium ad lib. 5. cap. 1. exoticorum.
• * 1.5

  Tom. 2. lib. 21. cap. 12.
• * 1.6

  Tom. 1. cap. 11. lib. 4.
• * 1.7

  Thevet tom. 1. lib. 11. cap. 13,
• * 1.8

  The Indian E∣lephants are bigger than the Africane.
• * 1.9

  How they keep flyes from them.
• * 1.10

  Lib. 9. de list. anim. cap. 27.
• * 1.11

  It is not known how long an E∣lephant goes with young.
• * 1.12

  Tom. 2. lib. 23. cap. 2.
• * 1.13

  Their hornes good against poysons. Tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 10.
• * 1.14

  Blood as good as balsome.
• * 1.15

  Plin. lib. 8. cap. 29.
• * 1.16

  Plin. lib. 8. cap. 33.
• * 1.17

  Arist. lib. 2. hist. anim. cap. 12.
• * 1.18

  The strange nature of the colour of the Chamelcon.