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 COLVS.

[illustration]

[ 20] [ 30]

THere is among the Scithians and Sarmatians a foure-footed [ 40] wild Beast called Colus, and of some Sulac in Latine; of the Polonians Sothac, of the Moscouites Seigak, of the Tartari∣ans Akkijk and Snak, of the Turkes Akomi, being in quantity and stature betwixt a Ramme and a Hart, and dusky white colourd, but the young ones yellow: of a singular swift∣nesse and celerity in course. Her manner is to drinke by the holes in her Nostrils, whereby she shuffeth vp aboundance of Water and carrieth it in her head, so that shee will liue in dry pastures remote from all moisture a great season, quen∣ching her thirst by that Cisterne in her head.

They are most plentifull to be found in Tartaria, in Pontus, where are so many plaines [ 50] that a man can see nothing but heauen and earth: likewise they are found in Moscouia, in Po∣docia, & about the Ryuer Neprus, and Boristhenes: they can neuer be taken but by werisom∣nesse; wherefore if men follow them with Pipes and Timbrels, playing vpon them, they so weary themselues with leaping and running to and fro, being compassed in by multi∣tudes

of men, that they fall downe for weakenesse, and so are taken. They liue in flockes together, sometimes fiue hundred; and after Easter in the spring, two hundred in a troupe: hauing a Snout like a Hogs, they endure much hunger but no cold.

In March they dig vp with their Hornes, a certaine roote, whereof they eate, and pre∣sently their lust for generation encreaseth vnto rage; insomuch that for satisfieng therof they continue in that act both male & female, vntil they lose al strēgth of body, lying halfe dead on the earth by the space of 24. houres, not able to goe or stand: during which time, they are often taken aliue, but when they come againe to themselues, they rather dy then endure to be tamed.

The flesh of them is very sweete and wholsome, they conceiue and bring forth for [ 10] the most parte twinnes or two at a time; their greatest enemie is a Wolfe (for in the Winter and snow they hunt and kill them.) Their hornes are about foure palmes in length, growing vpright or bending very little & very sharp, wherewithall they can pierce the belly of a Horse or other beast that standeth ouer them: at the roote, they are about sixe ynches compasse, and so growing lesse and lesse to the top; one of them waigheth about nine ounces; the blade toward the point is transparent, being held against the light or sunne, because it is white and thin, but the neather part is dusky and thicker, and there∣fore it is not penetrable by the eie of man. There are about 14. circles like rings com∣passing about the horne, one aboue another, but the vppermost is not perfect. This horne is of great price, being a present for any Noble man, for in Turkey they are sold [ 20] for sixe Craconian shillings; yet I know no other vse of them, but either to make hafts for kniues, or else hornes for Spectacles.

This beast liueth altogether in the plaines, except in snow, and then he runneth into the Woods; where he may be taken more easily, and killed with the stroke of a Staffe. When the Tartarians know in what plaines they lye, their King commeth and with a mul∣titude of men compasseth them and wearieth them by musicke as aforesaid. All this was related to me, by one that had killed of them aboue two hundred with his owne hand, (saith that right honorable and most learned Gentleman Iohannes Bonarus Baoron of Bal∣szee a Polonian.)

Notes

• The name.
• Of the co∣lour.
• a miraculous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in her 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••••••bo. lib. 7.
• Of the coun∣tries of their breede.
• Of their hun¦ting and ta∣king.
• Of their pro∣creation.
• Mat: michon