The history of brutes, or, A description of living creatures wherein the nature and properties of four-footed beasts are at large described / by Wolfgangus Franzius ... ; and now rendred into English by N.W.

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

The Division of irrational Creatures. (Book 3)

SOme Creatures are sanguineous, others are not. The former Kind are greater; some crea∣tures have two, some four feet, which maketh them more able to work. Other Creatures are aquatile, and bigger than Sanguine Creatures. In all kind of living creatures there is one, which is as it were King over the rest. Those that have no blood are called Exsanguineous, such are insects, which though they have not so perfect a heart, yet have something analogous to a heart.

3. Some Creatures are viviparous, and some oviparous.

4. Some Creatures are more in Number, as Harts and Camels; some go singly, as Birds, that

have crooked talons, beasts that live upon prey, and Spiders, which feed upon Flies. Some crea∣tures are domestique, as the Cow and Dog, and other creatures. It is the wonderful wisdome of God, that some shun the company of man, others love it; concerning which Job speaketh, Cap. 39. Who hath set the wild Asse at liberty, or who hath loosed the bonds of the wild Asse; he derideth the mul∣titude of the City, he heareth not the cry of the driver, he seeketh out the Mountaines for his pasture, and searcheth after every green thing. Will the Unicorn serve thee? &c.

5. Some creatures have more parts, some havefew∣er. But all creatures have various parts, because the Soul resideth not but in an organic•• body. All creatures consist of those parts that are necessary for their nutrition, or augmentation, thus they have that which is analogous to bones and nerves; the head is the seat of the Senses, wings for mo∣tion.

6. Some Creatures have feet, and they either have 2. 4. 8. or 10 feet, as Spiders. Those Crea∣tures that have wings, have either two wings, or four wings, as certain insects: Eishes have neither feet nor wings, because that they live in a thicker Medium than other Creatures do.

7. Other Creatures are made to labour, as Horses, and Camels; other creatures God hath made only for food, as Hogs. Other creatures God hath made for both, as Oxen. Some for safety, as Dogs.

7. Some creatures are dumb, as most Fishes. Other creatures have a voice, or rather make a Noise,

and especially at the time of their copulation, as appeareth by Frogs, which in the time of their coitus do croak and keep a great Noise in the wa∣ters; this may be seen plainly in Harts and Cats, if you observe them in the Winter time, but espe∣cially in Autumn. But this following table will comprehend in it all the Animals that have been mentioned before, or all that will be mentioned hereafter.

All Animals whatsoever, are either perfect or imperfect. Perfect creatures are either rationall or irrationall; irrationall are either those that live in the Air, or those that live in the Water, or those that live on the earth; or els there are some creatures which we call Amphibious, which are those creatures that live upon the earth partly, and partly in the waters. Imperfect creatures we call those which are partly Plants, and partly Animals, as Sponge. So is Sea-beares-breech, which is bred out of the earth▪ and are like to Herbs, yet if any one cometh but nigh it they have a kind of fear, and are presently contracted.

An Insect is such a creature whose head is conti∣guous, but not continuous to his body, as we may see in a Fly. So those that live both in the air, and in the Water, as are Frogs and Beavers; the rest are plain enough, from the very names of them.

Now although the preceding table doth suffi∣ciently enough shew the order of our discourse, yet notwithstanding we will begin this History of Ani∣mals, and speak of the biggest Animals first. The consideration of which will make the other smaller

kinds of Creatures more plain and easie. And thus I have shewed the use of this knowledge, and that not only in Philosophy, which is very great, but also in Divinity. For from the nature of several beasts and birds, we may draw several profitable inferences and instructions, which may be useful to Divines, in the opening of several places of Scriptures, wherein several sorts of creatures, not only Birds, but beasts and Fishes, which cannot be explained, unless we know the nature of those creatures that are there mentioned.

Now having finished the general table of all Animals, and shewed the design and Scope of this Treatise, together with the usefulness and benefit of it, we shall now proceed to speak of Crea∣tures more particularly. And, as I said before, I shall begin the Book with the biggest Creatures first, so that the first Animal we shall speak to, shall be the Elephant, which is the business of the following Chapter; wherein we shall set down, not only the nature, bigness, food, &c. of the Ele∣phant, but also the several places of Scripture wherein it is mentioned; and last of all, deduce those several Corrolaries, and instructions, that may be deduced from the nature of it.