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OF THE THOES.
THere are two kinds of Thoes, as there are of Panthers, dif∣fering onely in magnitude or greatnesse. But the lesser Thoes is like vnto the lesser Panther, a Licopanther, and the Lupus canarius engendered betwixt a Wolfe and a Dogge, are all one Foure footed beast. The Thoes also are a kind [ 10] of Wolfe. And againe, there is a kind of Wolfe which Aristotle doth call Chabez, but Auicen doeth write, that it ought to be called Beruet, in the Persian tongue. And a∣gaine in another place, where he doth write, that the Lion and the Thoes are vtter enemies, and Albertus doth translate it, that a Wolfe doth fight with the Foure-footed-Beast Toboz, which is a corrupted word, Toboz for Thoes, as Cabez for Thohoz, and this some men think it to be the Lynx. Thoes is called in Haebrew Tahas, Alshali is a Foure-footed-Beast like to a Wolfe. Adeditach is also a kinde of Wolfe, but I doe not know whether these names belong onely to the Thoes, or to any other kind of Wolfe. Solinus doth call [ 20] Thoas Aethiopian Wolues, and a little before he sayd that Lycaon was an Aethiopian wolfe, mained on the Necke, and so diuers coloured that a man would thinke there were no co∣lours wanting in them.
The people of Schythia likewise say, that the Buff doth change his colours, neither is there any other beast couered with haire, except the Lycaon among the Indians, (as Pliny also writeth) and besides this there is no mention made of the Lycaon among all the anci∣ent writers. Lycaons are called Dogs, in the story of the diuersities of Dogges. The lesser kind of Thoes are the best, for some make two kinde of Thoes, and some three, and these like Birds, and other Foure-footed-beastes, change their colour, both in VVinter and Summer, so that sometime they appeare bare, and againe at other times rough all o∣uer, that is, bare in the Summer, and rough in the VVinter, but it doth plainely seeme [ 30] that there is no more kind of Thoes but one, which the things that come after doth proue and make manifest. Nearchus saith, that those Tygers are not true Tygers, which are commonly called Tigers, but changable Thoes (as if that euery Thoes were not changable) and greater then the other Thoes.
They haue no reason which take the Lupus ceruarius for a Thoes, which wee haue alrea∣dy shewed to be a Lynx, for the Rhaecians which speak Italian, and the Sauoyans do to this day call him Ceruario, and for the Armenian VVolfe the Cicatus, and the Lupus canarius we haue already shewed, that it is a Panther, and therefore it is needlesse to stand any lon∣ger vppon those names in this place. VVee will therefore take it for confessed, that the Thoes is a Beast engendered betwixt a VVolfe and a Foxe, whereof some are greater and [ 40] some smaller, and these are found about the Mountaine Pangeus, Cittus, Olympus, Myssi∣us, Pindus, and Nisa, beyound Syria, resembling for the most part a Hyaena, hauing a lon∣ger body, and a straighter taile then a VVolfe, and although it bee not so high of stature, yet it is as nimble and as strong as is the VVolfe, and it seemeth that the very name Thoes is taken from the celerity and swiftnesse in running and leaping, for it getteth his liuing by the quicknesse of his feet. In the outward face it much resembleth a VVolfe his Father, but in the spots and length of his body it resembleth a Panther his mother; they couple in generation like dogs, bringing forth two or foure at a time like wolues, which are blinde, and their feet clouen into many toes.
They are enimies to Lyons, and therefore they doe not liue in the same place where [ 50] Lyons are, not onely because they liue vpon the same victuals and food, but also because they are a more pittifull creature then they, especially to man, for if they see the face of a man at any time, they run vnto him and do him all such reuerence as their brutish nature can demonstrate.
And further Philes and Selius write, that if they see a man oppressed by any other