The historie of foure-footed beastes Describing the true and liuely figure of euery beast, with a discourse of their seuerall names, conditions, kindes, vertues (both naturall and medicinall) countries of their breed, their loue and hate to mankinde, and the wonderfull worke of God in their creation, preseruation, and destruction. Necessary for all diuines and students, because the story of euery beast is amplified with narrations out of Scriptures, fathers, phylosophers, physitians, and poets: wherein are declared diuers hyerogliphicks, emblems, epigrams, and other good histories, collected out of all the volumes of Conradus Gesner, and all other writers to this present day. By Edward Topsell.

OF THE BVFFE.

A Buffe is called in Greeke Tarandos, and in Latine Tarandus, which some haue corrupted barbarously, terming it Paran∣drus [ 40] and Pyradus, and I coniecture that it is the same beast, which the Polonians call Tur or Thuro; howsoeuer other con∣found this Tarandus with another beast, called Rangifer; and some with a kind of Vrus, which haue many properties in common with a Buffe, yet my reason, why the Polonian Tur can be no other then a Buffe, is because the head and mouth differeth from those beastes, and also by cause this is taken in Sarmatia, where the common people call it Daran or Da∣rau, although the later writers call it Duran and Daran, and translate it a Bonnasus, which [ 50] can by no meanes agree with this beast; and the name of Daran is easily deriued from Ta∣randus or Tarandos.

Also that the Polonion Tur should not be a Buffe, all that can be obiected, is, that the Hornes thereof are cragged or braunched, which thing Pliny attrybuteth to a Buffe▪ whereunto I answer, that the auncients did confound a Buffe with an Elke, and a Rangi∣fer; for in the discription of an Elke they vary▪ diuers times mistaking one for another, by

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reason that they wrote altogither by report, none of them being seene in their contries, and therefore may easilie be deceiued in a Buffe, as well as in an Elke. The chiefe authors of this opinion haue beene Sir Thomas Eliot, and Georgius Agricola, with whom I will not contend▪ nor with any other man that can giue better reason: for Pliny maketh a Buffe to be a beast proportioned betwixt an Hart and an Oxe, of which sort is not a Rangifer, as shalbe manifested; and if it be▪ yet can it neuer appeare that a Rangifer doth change co∣lour like a Buffe, as also we will make more euident: So then, distinguishing a Buffe from a Rangifer, and presuming that the Polonian THVRO or Tur is a Buffe, we will proceed to his discription.

The head of this beast is like the head of a Hart, and his hornes branched or ragged; his body for the most part like a wilde Oxes, his haire deepe and harshe like a Beares, his hide is so hard and thicke▪ that of it the Scithians make breast-plates, which no dart can pierce through. His colour, for the most part like an Asses, but when he is hunted or fea∣red, he changeth his hew into whatsoeuer thing he seeth; as among trees he is like them: among greene boughs he seemeth greene; amongst rocks of stone, he is transmuted in∣to their colour also; as it is generally by most writers affirmed: as Pliny & Solinus among the auncient; Stephanus and Eustathius, among the later Writers.

This indeed is the thing that seemeth most incredible, but there are two reasons which draw me to subscribe hereunto: first, because we see that the face of men and beasts tho∣rough feare, ioy, anger, and other passions, doe quickly change; from ruddy to white, from blacke to pale and from pale to ruddy againe. Now as this beast hath the head of a Hart, so also hath it the feare of a Hart, but in a higher degree; and therefore by secret operation it may easily alter the colour of their haire, as a passion in a reasonable man, may alter the colour of his face.

The same thinges are reported by Pliny of a beast in INDIA called Lycaon, as shall be afterward declared; and besides these two, there is no other among creatures couered with haire, that chaungeth colour. Another reason forcing me to yeeld herunto is, that in the sea, a Polypus-fish, and in the earth among creeping things, a Chamaeleon, doe also change their colour in like sort and fashion: whereunto it may be replyed, that the Cha∣maeleon and Polypus-fish, are pilled or bare without haire, and therefore may more easily

be verse-coloured; but it is a thing impossible in nature, for the haire to receiue any tincture from the passions: but I answer, that the same nature can multiply and diminish her power in lesser and smaller Beastes, according to hir pleasure, and reserueth an ope∣ration for the nayles, and feathers of Birds, and finnes and scales of Fishes, making one sort of diuers colour from the other: and therefore may and doth as forcibly worke in the haires of a buffe, as in the skinne of a Chamaeleon; adding so much more force to trans∣mute them, by how much farther off they stand from the blood, like as an Archer, which setteth his arme and bow higher to shoote farther, and therefore it is worthy obseruati∣on, that as this beast, hath the best defence by her skin aboue all other, so she hath the wa∣kest [ 10] and most timerous heart aboue all other.

These Buffes are bred in Scithia, and are therefore called Tarandi Scithic; they are al∣so among the Sarmatians, and called Budini, and neere Gelonis, and in a part of Poland, in the Duchy of Mazauia, betwixt Oszezke and Garuolyin. And if the polonian Thuro before mentioned, haue a mane [whereof I am ignorant] then will I also take that beast: for a kind of Bison. In phrygia, there is a territory called Tarandros, and peraduenture this beast had his name from that Contrey, wherein it may be he was first discouered and made knowne.

The quantity of this beast, exceedeth not the quantity of a wild Oxe, whereunto in al the parts of his body he is most like, except in his head face, and hornes: his Legges and [ 20] hoofes are also like an Oxes. The goodnesse of his hide is memorable, and desired in all the cold countries of the world, wherein onely these beasts and all other of strong, thicke, hides are found, for the thinnest and most vnprofitable skinnes of beastes, are in the whot and warmer partes of the world: and God hath prouided thicke, warme, most commo∣dious, and precious couers for those beasts that liue farthest from the Sunne. Where∣upon many take the hides of other beastes for Buffe, for being tawed and wrought artifi∣cially they make garmentes of them, as it is daily to be seene in Germany.

Notes

• Of the name and kind of Buffes.
• Pliny The seueral parts. Siluius. Hesychius
• a myracle in his colour.
• Countries of Buffes.
• Stephanus
• The quanti∣ty or stature of a Buffe.
• The hide is most profita∣ble to man