A description of the nature of four-footed beasts with their figures en[graven in brass] / written in Latin by Dr. John Johnston ; translated into English by J.P.

ARTICLE I. Of House-Mice.

MIce we divide into House, Field, Nut, Spider, Alpine, and Water-mice. The first called in Latine Catus, and So∣rex and Mus, from the Greek, Mus; Ratus is the name of the greater, so called from ravening; now of late called Riskos in Greek. Sorex is from the noise in nibbling, like sawing, or from the rotten matter, that breeds them: in the Aeolick Vrax, from the muzzle like the Swines-snout; by the Thra∣cians Arklos; by some Sminthos, and Lamas. No need of describing the outward parts; as for the inner, the heart is very great; it is said to have no gall. Onely in horned-beasts, ha∣ving teeth on one side; and in Hares, Bats, and Mice, that have teeth on either side; is there a womb, having a hollow, whereon the embrio hangs in the midst. The lappet of their heart is far greater on the right then the left side, and that black, as gore blood. At the sto∣macks-mouth above is a certain round pas∣sage, turning back into it selfe, having the shape of a Bird turning, and hiding the neck and head in the breast. The hollow vein, rising from the liver, wide in the beginning, then slenderer, but even all along. The blind-gut is like a Swines-stomack, though lesse. The stones as big as a Chickens, and the skins hang lower as the testicles; and the right is fuller of veins then the left. The right rein is nearer to the hollow vein then the left. The privy part is gristly, with a threefold parting, and sharp at end, the rest consists of two sinews. The bladder-neck hath fair kennels afore: the mid-rif is transparant in the middle, long, and round. In a dissected Mouse, in the right horn of the womb were found foure young, in the left, two; each had it's cake of flesh round, disposed afore the navell, and covered. Some write, there are no Mice in the Isle Pa∣rus; that about the Castle Slane in Scotland, if you bring a great Mouse, he dies. That there are none in Peru, but those that were brought out of Spain with the Merchants-Wares; they eat corne, bread, flesh, and pulse, oft onjons, and garlick; they nibble on many cheeses, they sup wine, and lick oyl. If hunger-starved, they fall on each other. The females can fill them∣selves with licking of salt; which made Pliny think that by licking they gendred: But it is certain, that they couple, and bring many at

once, hundred-and-twenty at a time. And some in Persia have been found with young in the dames belly. They breed also out of filth in houses, and ships.

As in India, Worms a finger thick, breed of a rotten stuf in reed, which after turn into Butter-flies, and Mice. In Jonia, through the overflowing of Maeander, Mice multiply so, that men are fain to shift their dwellings. Those that breed of filth, gender not; or if they doe, their young doe not. Their noise is squeak∣ing. They hold antipathy with elaterium, Sea-Onion, coloquintida, the Weesel, Hauke, Cats, &c. but sympathy with sweet majoram, to the root whereof they betake themselves, when they ail any thing; and they agree with Swine; for offer a mous-liver in a fig to a Sow, she shall follow you without grunting; as Pierius Valerian at Padua hath experimented. They are quick of hearing, and hate light by night, because it dazles them. In goldsmiths shops they eat file∣ings of mettles, and doubtles disgest them. In the Isle Gyarus, they drove out the inhabitants, and nibled on iron, and steel, in the iron-mongers shops. Golden metalls, their bellies can cut through. Their pisse sprinkled there∣on, eats through. If they slip to the water, they hold by each others tayls, so that if one scape all scape. Albert saw in the low-countries a Mouse, hold the candle to his master at his nod, and bidding. They differ in bignes, colour, hair smell, and place. In Arabia are Mice much greater then Rats. Vi∣triacus speaks of some in the East, as big as Foxes. Americus found exceeding great ones in a certain Island, most are of the colour of the Asse, some black, some dusk, some ash. Gesner saw one very white in Germany, taken in April, with reddish bolt-goggle-eyes, and a beard rough, and full of rough hairs. Scaliger saw another very bright, with flaming eyes. Albert writes of white, and very lustfull; and white stones found in their excrements. Some are softer haired then others, and some as brist∣led, and sharp as Hedge-hogs in the region of Cyrene; and a kind of Mice are called Echines. Hedge-hogs. The dung of some is sweet. In Italy is a kinde called Moschardine, from their sent. Bellonius saw one that lived on Ho∣scyam-seed onely, white-bellied, ash-coloured, backed, long-bodied, and tayled, and sword-mouthed, called Skalopes, by the Scholiast on Aristophanes. In Cappadocia is a kind called Muexis.

Notes

• Ambr. l. 2. c. 32.
• Name.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Varin.
• Described.
• Arist.
• Plin.
• Sever.
• Zoo••om. p. 323.
• Place.
• Hect.
• Boer.
• Food.
• Gendring.
• Plin. l. 10. c. 65.
• Anist. H. A. l. 8. c. 37.
• Pausanias.
• Cardan.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Nature.
• Plin. l. 8. c. 57.
• Amoldus.
• Diffe∣rences.
• Anist.
• Ae••ian.
• Plin.
• Heriod.
• Ruell. H. P••ant. ••. 4.
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• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.