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 Dogge called a Tumbler, in [ 30] Latine Vertagus.

THis sort of Dogges, which compasseth all by craftes, fraudes, subtilties and deceiptes, we English men call Tumblers, because in hunting they turne and tumble, winding their bodyes about in circle-wise, and then fiercely and violently venturing vpon the beast, doth suddenly gripe it, at the very entrance and mouth of their receptacles, or closets before they can recouer meanes, to saue and succor themselues. This Dogge vseth another craft and s••btilty: namely, when he runneth into a warren, or fetcheth a course about a conybur∣rough, he hunts not after them, he fraies them not by barking, he makes no countenance [ 40] or shaddow of hatred against them, but dissembling friendship, and pretending fauour, passeth by with silence and quietnesse, marking and noting their holes diligently, where∣in (I warrant you) he will not be ouershot nor deceiued. When he commeth to the place where Conies be, of a certainety, he cowcheth downe close with his belly to the ground, prouided alwaies by his skill and pollicie, that the winde be neuer with him but against him in such an enterprize. And that the Conyes spy him not where he lurketh. By which meanes he obtaineth the scent and sauour of the conies, carryed towardes him with the wind and the ayre, either going to their holes, or comming out, either passing this way, or running that way, and so prouideth by his circumspection, that the silly simple Conny is debarred quite from his hole (which is the hauen of their hope, and the harbour of their health) and fraudulently circumuented and taken, before they can get the aduantage of [ 50] their hole. Thus hauing caught his prey he carrieth it speedily to his maister, wayting his Dogs returne in some conuenient lurking corner.

These Dogges are somewhat lesser then the houndes, and they be lancker and leaner, beside that they be somewhat pricke eared. A man that shall marke the forme and fashion

of their bodies, may well cal them mungrel Grey-hounds if they were somewhat bigger. But notwithstanding they counteruaile not the Greyhound in greatnesse, yet will he take in one daies space as many Conies as shall arise to as big a burthen, and as heauy a loade as a horse can carry, for deceipt and guile is the instrument whereby he maketh this spoile, which pernicious properties supply the places of more commendable qualities.