CHAPTER V. Of the Ignavus, or Slug.
THey are of two kinds; one the Portu∣gees call Perillo Ligero,* 1.1 the little swift dog by contraries; and Friguiza. Of the bignes of one of our midling Foxes, short-necked, two fingers long at most, small, and somwhat round-headed; narrow mouthed, toothed as a Lamb, blunt, smooth, high, black-nosed. The eyes small, black, drowsy, having no eares; the tayl blunt, like a sugar-loof, on each foot are three nayls, white and yellow, crooked, bending, and hollowed. The hair about two fingers long, ash-coloured, badger-like, but softer, and whiter. The most sluggish, and slow-paced of beasts. He creeps up trees, and eats leaves, never drinks. Seldome send forth any voyce; holds fast what he catchest, fears the smallest rain. The heart taken out of the female, stirs half an houre after. The paunch red-streaked like beans, into which the navel∣vessells in many sprigs are fastened. They bear young-haired,* 1.2 toothed and clawed. The heart of the shee hath two plain ears, hollow. In the stomack the upper-mouth is two fingers crosse from the gullet, and where the opening uses to be, is a gut a span long, but hath no passage. In the stomack is plainly seen green matter of leaves. Two paps are on the breast. Tough of hide. So lively, that, if all the guts be taken out, it stirs, and draws the feet together. De Laet, who saith, hee saw one alive, saith, the neck is longer, as we have made it. He clings so fast, that he looses hold, and life together. Hermaneus saith,* 1.3 he in a whole day cannot move fifty paces forward. By night he is heard, and the latter syllables still lower then the former. He stays sometimes in a tree twenty dayes without food, and is thick-sighted. Another of the kind,* 1.4 called Hag, hath an Apes face, a rough-shaged skin, hairy-thighs, claws, on each foot three, and those sharp, and long, is easily tamed, when taken.