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 TATVS, OR GVINEAN BEAST.

[illustration]

THis is a foure-footed strange Beast, which Bellonius saith, he found in Turchia, among the mounte-bankes and Apothi∣caries. It is brought for the most part out of the new-found world, and out of Guinia, and may therefore be safely con∣ueyed into these parts, because it is naturally couered with a harde shell, deuided and interlined like the fins of fishes, outwardly seeming buckled to the backe like coat-armor, within which, the beast draweth vp his body, as a Hedghog doth within his prickled skin; and therefore I take it to be a Brasilian Hedghog. It is not much greater then a little pig, and by the snout, ears, legs, and feet thereof, it seemeth to be of that kind, sauing that the snout is a litle broader, & shorter then a pigs, and the tail very long like a Lizards or rats, and the same couered al ouer with a crust or shel. The gaping of the mouth is wider then a swines; and one of these being brought into France, did liue vpon the eating of seeds, and frutes of the Gardens, but it appeareth by that picture, or rather the skinne stuffed, which Adrianus Marcillius the Apothecary of Vlmes, sent vnto Gesner, from whence this pict∣ture heere expressed was taken, that the feete thereof are not clouen into two partes like

swine, but rather into many like Dogges, for vpon the hinder feete there are fiue toes, and vpon the forefeete fowre, whereof two are so smal that they are scarse visible. The bredth of that same skin was about seuen fingers, and the length of it two spans, the shell or crust vpon the backe of it did not reach downe vnto the rumpe or taile, but broke off as it were vpon the hips, some foure fingers from the taile. The Merchants as I haue herd and Cittizens of London keepe of these with their Garden wormes.

Of the Aiochtochth.

THere is another beast that may bee compared to this, (whereof Cardanus [ 10] writeth,) and hee calleth the name of it Aiotochth. It is a strange creature, found in Hispania noua, neare the riuer Aluaradus, being not greater then a Cat, hauing the bil or snowt of a Mallard, the feet of a Hedge-hog, and a very long necke. It is couered al ouer with a shell like the trappinges of a horsse, diuided as in a Lobster and not continued as in an Oyster; and so couered heere with, that neither the necke nor head appeare plainely, but onely the eares; and the Spa∣niards for this cause call it Armato and Contaexto: There be some doe affirme that it hath a voice like swine, but the feet thereof are not indeed so clouen, that they remaine vnequal, but are like to a horses, I meane the seueral cloues. There are of these as I haue hearde to [ 20] be seene in Gardens in London, which are kept to destroy the Garden wormes.