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 ICHNEVMON

MArcellus and Solinus, doe make question of this beast (Ichneumon) to [ 30] be a kind of Otter,* 1.1 or the Otter a kinde of this Ichneumon, which I find to be otherwise called Enydros or Enhydrus, because it liueth in water, & the reason of this name I take to be fetched ab infestigando, because like a dog or hunting-hound, it diligently searcheth out the seates of wilde beasts, especially the Crocodile and the Aspe, whose egges it destroyeth. And for the emnity vnto Serpents, it is called Ophiomachus. Isidorus is of opinion, that the name of this beast in the Greeke is giuen vnto it, because by the sauour thereof, the venom and wholsomenesse of [ 40] meates is descryed. Whereof Dracontius writeth in this manner:

Predicit suillus, vim cuiuscun{que} veneni.

The Ichneumon foretelleth the power, and presence of all poyson. And it is called Suillas, in La∣tine, because like a hog, it hath bristles in stead of haire; Albertus also doth call it Ne••m••n, mistaking it for Ichneumon.

* 1.2There be some that call it an Indian Mouse, because there is some proportion for simi∣litude in the outwarde forme betweene this beast and a mouse. But it is certaine, that it is bred in no other Nation but onely in Egypt, about the riuer Nilus, and of some it is called Mus Pharonis, Pharoes Mouse. For Pharo was a common name to all the Egyptian kings.

There be some that call it Thyamon,* 1.3 and Anschycomon, and also Damula, mistaking it for that Weasell which is an enemy to Serpentes, called by the Italians Donola: yet I know [ 50] no learned man but taketh these two names, to signifie two defferent Beastes. The quanti∣ty of it or ••••••ture is sometimes as greate as a small Catte or Ferret, and the haires of it like the haires of a Hogge;* 1.4 the eyes small and narrow, which signifie a malignant and crafty disposition; the taile of it very long like a Serpentes, the end turning vppe a little,

hauing no haires but scales, not much vnlike the taile of a Mouse. Aelianus affirmeth,* 1.5 that both sexes beare young, hauing seed in themselues, whereby they conceiue. For those that are ouercome in combates one with another, are branded with a warlicke marke of Villanage, or subiection to their Conquerors, and on the contrary side they which are con¦quered and ouercome in fight, do not only make vassals of them whom they ouercome, but in token thereof for further punishment, fill them with their seede by carnall copula∣tion, so puttnig off from themselus to them, the dolours and Torments of bearing yong.

When it is angry the haires stande vpright, and appeare of a double colour, bee∣ing white and yellowish by lines or rowes in equall distaunce, entermingled, and [ 10] also very harde, and sharpe, like the haire of a Wolfe, the body is something longer

[illustration]

This first picture of the Ichneumon was taken by Bellonius, except the backe be too much eleuated.

[ 20] [ 30]

[illustration]

The second picture taken out of Oppianus poems, as it was found in [ 40] an old manuscript.

[ 50]

then a Cats, and better set or compacted; the beake blacke, and sharp at the Nose like a Ferret, and without a beard, the eares short and round, the Legges blacke, hauing fiue clawes vpon his hinder feete, whereof the last or hinmost of the inner side of the foote is very short, his taile thicke towardes the rumpe: the tongue, teeth, and stones, are like a Cats, and this it hath peculiar, namly a large passage, compassed about with haire, on the outside of his excrement hole like the genitall of a woman, which it neuer openeth but in extremity of heat, the place of his excrements remaining shut, onely being more hollow then at other times. And it my be that the Authors aforesaid had no other reason to af∣firme the mutation of feeble or common transmigration of genitall power, beside the [ 10] obseruation of this natural passage in male, & female. They bring forth as many as Cats & Dogs, and also eate them when they are young: they liue both in land and water, and take the benifit of both elements, but especially in the Riuer Nilus, amongst the reedes, grow∣ing on the bankes thereof,* 1.6 according to the saying of Nemetian;

Et placidis Ichneumona quaerere ripis, Inter arundineas segetes.

For it will diue in the Water like an Otter, and seeme to be vtterly drowned, holding in the breath longer then any other foure-footed beast, as appeareth by his long keeping vnder Water,* 1.7 and also by liuing in the belly of the Crocodile, vntill he deliuer forth him∣selfe, by eating through his bowels, as shall be shewed afterwards. It is a valiant and nim∣ble creature, not fearing a great Dogge, but setteth vpon him and biting him mortally, [ 20] but especially a Cat, for it killeth or strangleth her with three bites of her teeth, and be∣cause her beake or snout is very narrow or smal, it canot bite any thing, except it bee lesse then a mans fist. The proportion of the body is much like a Badgers, and the nose hangeth ouer the mouth, like as it were alwaies angry; The nature of it is finding the Crocodile a sleepe,* 1.8 suddenly to run downe into his throat and belly, and there to eate vppe that meate which the Crocodile hath deuoured, and not returning out againe the way it went in, ma∣keth a passage for it selfe through the beasts belly.

* 1.9And because it is a great enemy and deuourer of Serpents, the common people of that Country do tame them, and keepe them familiarly in their houses like Cats, for they eat Mice, and likewise bewray all venemous beastes: for which cause as is said before, they cal [ 30] it Pharoes Mouse by way of excellency. At Alexandria they sell their young ones in the Market, and nourish them for profit: It is a little beast, and maruelously studious of puri∣ty and clenlinesse.

Bellonius affirmeth that he saw one of them at Alexandria, amongst the ruines of an olde castle, which suddenly tooke a Hen and eate it vp, for it loueth all manner of foules, especi∣ally Hens and chickens,* 1.10 being very wary and crafty about his prey, oftentimes standing vpright vpon his hinder Legs, looking about for a fit booty, and when it espieth his prey neare him,* 1.11 it slideth so close to the grounde, as is very admirable vntill it bee within the reach, & then leapeth vpon it with incredible celerity, dying to the throat, & like a Lyon killeth al by strangling. It eateth indifferently euery liuing thing, as Snales, Lizardes, ca∣melions, [ 40] all kinds of Serpents, Frogs, Mice, and Aspes. For Strabo saith, when he findeth an Aspe by the water side, it ketcheth hold on the taile, and so draweth the beast into the Water, & receiueth help from the fluds to deuour her enemy, and whereas we haue saide already, that the Ichneumon entreth into the belly of the crocodil, Ammianus, Marcelinus, Strabo, Pliny, and Oppianus, maketh thereof this discourse following. When the croco∣dile hath filled his belly, and ouerglutted himselfe with meate, he commeth to the land to sleepe.

Now there is in Egypt, a certaine Bird called Crochillus, whose nature is to wait vpon the crocodile, and with her breath and clawes gently and with a kind of delight, to pul out the remnants of the meate sticking in the crocodiles teeth, wherewithall the crocodile be∣ing [ 50] pleased, openeth his mouth wide, to be thus clensed by this Bird, and so falling fast a sleepe gaping, watched all the while by the vigilent eie of the Ichnumon, perceiuing him, to be deeply plunged, in a sencelesse security, goeth presently and walloweth in sand and durt, & with a singular confidence entereth into the gate of death, that is the crocodiles mouth, and suddenly pierceth like an arrow through the monsters wide throat downe in∣to his belly.

The CROCODILE feeling this vnlooked for euill, awaketh out of sleep,* 1.12 and in a rage or madnesse, voide of counsell, runneth too and fro, farre and wide, plunging himselfe in∣to the bottome of the riuer, where finding no ease, returneth to lande againe, and there breatheth out his vntolerable poison, beating himselfe with all his power, striuing to bee deliuered from this vnsufferable euil. But the Ichneumon careth not for al this, sitting close vpon the liuer of the CROCODILE, and feeding full sweetly vppon his intrals, vntill at last being satisfied, eateth out her owne passage through the belly of her hoast. The selfe same thing is related by Plutarch: but I wonder for what cause the beast should rowle her selfe in sand and durt, to enter into the CROCODILES belly; For first of all, if after her roling in the durt, she dry her selfe in the Sunne, yet will not that hard crust be any suffi∣cient [ 10] armour of proofe to defend her small body from the violence of the Crocodiles teeth, and besides, it encreaseth the quantity of her body, making her more vnfit to slide downe through the Crocodiles narrow throate: and therefore, the Authors cannot be but deceaued in ascribing this quality to her, when she is to enter into the crocodile, but rather I beleeue, she vseth this defence against the Aspe, as Aristotle saith, and therefore the Author seeing her so couered with mudde, might easily be mistaken in her purpose.* 1.13 For it is true indeed that when she seeth the Aspe vpon the land, she calleth her fellowes, who arme themselues as beforesaid before the combat, by which meanes they are safely preserued, from the bitings of their enemies; or if it be true that they wallow themselues [ 20] in the mudde, they doe not dry themselues in the Sunne, but while their bodies are moist, slide downe more easily into the Crocodiles belly.

Concerning their fighting with Aspes, and the arming of themselues as aforesaid, the Aegyptians make this hyrogliphicke of the Ichnumon, to signifie a weake man, that wan∣teth and craueth helpe of others; Pliny also saith that when the Aspe fighteth with this beast, the Ichnumon turneth to her, her taile, which the Aspe taking for defiance, present∣ly maketh force at it, whereby she is ouertaken and destroyed by the Ichnumon, but in my opinion this combate is better expressed by Oppianus.

For saith he, the Ichnumon couereth her body in the sande as it were in a graue, leauing nothing vncouered but her long Serpentine taile, and hir eyes, and so expecteth her ene∣my. When the Aspe espyeth her threatning rage, presently turning about her taile, pro∣uoketh [ 30] the Ichnumon to combate, and with an open mouth and lofty head doeth enter the list, to her owne perdition. For the Ichnumon being nothing affraid of this great brauado, receiueth the encounter, and taking the head of the Aspe in his mouth, biteth that off, to preuent the casting out of her poison: afterwardes tearing her whole body in pieces, al∣though gathered together wound in a circle, for the successe of these two combatants, ly∣eth in the first blow. If the Aspe first bite the Ichnumon, then doth her poison destroy her aduersary; and so on the contrary, if the Ichnumon first bite the Aspe, then is the Ichnumon conqueror, and for this cause she couereth her body as aforesaid.

Furthermore, this Beast is not onely enemy to the crocodile and Aspe, but also to their Egges, which she hunteth out by the sagacity of her nose, and so destroyeth them,* 1.14 [ 40] yet doth she not eat them: whereby the mercifull prouidence of God doth notablye ap∣peare, for the sauegard of mankind, which in those countries where these noisome beasts are bred, hath prouided such an enemy to destroy them, both egs, & birds, as is friend∣ly and tameable by the hand and wit of man.

For which cause the blind Pagans, consecrated this beast to Lat••na, and Lugina, and the Heracleopolites did thinke that they possessed all religion; the Aegyptians themselues did worship them, because as their countrey is aboue all other plagued with serpents, so they are much eased by the helpe of this little beast. And when they die, they doe not onely lament them, but also bury them religiously. And thus much for the description of [ 50] the Ichnumon. Now followeth their medicinal vertues.

The medicines of the Ichneumon.

The skinne of the Ichneumon, being dried and beaten into small powder, afterwards mingled with wine vineger, and annointed vpon those which are grieued with the veni∣mous or poyson some bites of the same beast, doth very effectually and speedily cure them of the same.* 1.15 The pretious stone called by the name of Iris, which is very hard, as Ho∣rus saith, being burned and afterward beaten or pounded into powder, is an excellent re∣medie against the venemous biting of the Ichneumon. It is also said that all beastes (but especially the Crocadile) doe for the most part hate and detest the societie of this beast. [ 10] There is moreouer a very rancke and venemous poyson, which proceedeth from the ge∣nitall or groine of this beast.

The haires of the Ichneumon,* 1.16 being taken in a certaine perfume, doth very much helpe and cure those which are troubled or grieued with the Maw-wormes. The dung of a Cat, or the dung of this beast▪ is very medicinable to be put in any salue, or potion, for the strenghthening, and confirming of the body. The vrine or taile of an Ichneumon, being mixed with the milke of a blacke Cow, & giuen vnto those which are troubled with that grieuous disease,* 1.17 called the collicke and stone for the space of three daies together in any kinde of drinke will easily and speedily cure them of their paine. The stones of an Ichneu∣mon, being either beaten in powder, or taken raw, either in wine or any other drinke, is [ 20] very medicinable, and curable for the easing of all such as are troubled or greiued with any ache,* 1.18 paine, or disease in their belly; And thus much shall suffice concerning the cures, and medicines, of the Ichneumon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The kindes and names with the rea∣son thereof.
• * 1.2

  Hermolaus. Gyllius.
• * 1.3

  Albertus. Ʋincentius.
• * 1.4

  The quanti∣ty and seue∣rall partes.
• * 1.5

  Their procr••¦ation and fights one with ano∣ther.
• * 1.6

  The places of their abod
• * 1.7

  The courage and strength of this beast.
• * 1.8

  Hir entrance into a Croco¦dile.
• * 1.9

  The taming of Ichneu∣mons.
• * 1.10

  Their foode.
• * 1.11

  Their subtil∣ty in obtai∣ning their prey.
• * 1.12

  The Croco∣diles behaui∣or feeling the Ichneu∣mon in her belly.
• * 1.13

  Their com∣bates with Aspes.
• * 1.14

  Their enmi∣ty to al kinds of Serpentes, and their egs
• * 1.15

  Pliny
• * 1.16

  Auicenna
• * 1.17

  Marcellus
• * 1.18

  Herodotus