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.

[ 10] Of the Dogge called the Fisher, in Latine Canis Piscator.

THe Dog called the fisher, whereof Hector Boethus writeth, which seeketh for fish by smelling among rockes and stones, assuredly I know none of that kind in England, neither haue I receiued by report that there is any such, albeit I haue beene diligent and busie in demaunding the question as well of fisher∣men, as also of hunts-men in that behalfe, being carefull and earnest to learne and vnder∣stand of them if any such were, except you hold opinion that the Beauer or Otter is a fish (as many haue beleeued) and according to their beleefe affirmed, as the bird Pupine, is thought [ 20] to be a fish, and so accounted. But that kinde of Dog which followeth the fish to apprehend and take it (if there be any of that disposition and property) whether they do this thing for the game of hunting, or for the heate of hunger, as other Dogs doe which rather then they will be famished for want of foode, couet the carcases of carrion and pu∣trified flesh. When I am fully resolued and disburthened of this doubt I will send you cer∣tificate in writing. In the meane season I am not ignorant of that both Aelianus and Aeli∣us, call the Beauer kunapotamion a water dog, or a Dog-fish, I know likewise thus much more, that the Beauer doth participate this propertie with the dog, namely, that when fi∣shes be scarce they leaue the water and range vp and downe the land, making an insatia∣ble slaughter of young lambes vntill their paunches be replenished, and when they haue [ 30] fed themselues full of flesh, then returne they to the water, from whence they came. But albeit so much be granted that this Beauer is a Dog, yet it is to be noted that we recken it not in the beadrow of English Dogs as we haue done the rest. The sea Calfe, in like man∣ner, which our contry men for breuity sake cal a Seele, other more largely name a Sea Vele, maketh a spoile of fishes betweene rockes and banckes, but it is not accounted in the ca∣talogue or number of our English Dogs, notwithstanding we call it by the name of a sea Dog or a sea-Calfe. And thus much for our Dogs of the second sort, called in Latine Au∣cupatorij, seruing to take fowle either by land or water.