BEGINNINGS OF AMERICAN NATURAL HISTORY 
article,! reproduce a “Figure of a Beaver 
from the earliest known Monograph — 
1685.” But the animal there shown is 
the European beaver, and this species, 
Castor fiber, was first figured by Johannis 
von Cube at the end of the fifteenth 
century in his curious “Hortus Sani- 
tatis,” whose illustration is reproduced 
herewith, and next after him by Ron- 
delet in 1553. Rondelet’s figure is 
copied by Conrad Gesner in the various 
editions and translations of his ency- 
clopedic works.? 
Prior to the 18th century no single 
work anywhere appeared on North 
American plants and animals, corre- 
sponding in character to the monumental 
achievement of Marcgrav ‘ands Piso 
(1648) on Brazil. A search among the 
writings of early voyagers and travelers, 
however, both French and English, is 
rewarded by the discovery of many 
surprisingly accurate observations. Nu- 
merous authors might be mentioned in 
this connection, but it will suffice.:to 
name but one or two: Captain John 
Smith’s Description of Virginia (in 
Purchas his Pilgrimes, vol. iv, 1625-26), 
1 Amer. Mus. Journal, March, 1913. The 
‘“‘earliest known Monograph’’ therein referred 
to is one entitled Castorologia, written by Johann 
Marius, a physician of Ulm, and republished by 
Johann Francus in 1685. It is reviewed in the 
Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. for the same year, vol. 
Xv, p. 1249. 
2 Among Old World animals figured by Gesner 
it may be noted that the one given of the ichenu- 
mon is taken from an ancient manuscript of 
Oppian. The earliest printed figure of the giraffe 
is found in the Opusculum of Bernard de Breyden- 
bach (Mainz, 1486 and 1502). This and other 
African mammals are shown in maps of much 
earlier date, as for instance, the Hereford and 
Ebstorf maps of 1280. Otto Keller, in his 
“*Antike Tierwelt’’ (1999), gives an outline figure 
of the giraffe after a mural painting in the Villa 
Pamfili, Rome. Far more ancient, dating back 
to the very dawn of history, is the Egyptian 
hunting scene showing the giraffe, lop-eared hound 
and other animals, which is reproduced by Quibell 
in his memoir on the Exploration of Hierakon- 
polis (1902). 
“of those of Muscouin and Tartaris. 
421 
and John Josselyn’s New England’s 
Rarities Discovered (1672). The latter 
has been twice reprinted. From the 
former we may give in closing a short 
specimen extract, selected at random: 
“Of beasts the chiefe are Deare, nothing 
differing from ours. In the Desarts towards 
the heads of the Rivers, there are many, but 
amongst the Rivers few. There is a beast 
they call Aronghcwm, much like a Badger, but 
useth to live on trees as Squirrels doe. Their 
Squirrels, some are neere as great as our 
smallest sort of wilde Rabbits, some blackish 
or blacke and white, but the most are gray. 
A small beast they have, they call Assapanick, 
but we will call them flying Squirrels, because 
spreading their legs, and so stretching the 
largenesse of their skinnes, they that have 
been seene to flie thirtie or fortie yards. An 
Opossum hath head like a Swine, and a taile 
like a Rat, and is of the bignesse of a Cat. 
Under her belly she hath a bag, wherein she 
lodgeth, carrieth, and suckleth her young. 
Mussascus, is a beast of the forme and nature 
of our water Rats, but many of them smell 
exceedingly strongly of Muske. Their Hares 
are no bigger than our Conies, and few of them 
to be found. 
Their Beares are verie little in comparison 
The 
Beaver is as big as an ordinarie great Dog, 
but his legs exceeding short. His fore feet 
like a Dogs, his hinder feet like a Swans. 
His taile somewhat like the forme of a Racket 
bare without haire, which to eate the Sauages 
esteeme a great delicate. They have many 
Otters, which as the Beauers they take with 
snares, and esteeme the skins great ornaments 
and of all those beasts they use to feede when 
they catch them. 
Of Fish, we are best acquainted with 
Sturgeon, Grampus, Porpus, Seales, Sting- 
raies, whose tailes are very dangerous, Bretts, 
Mullets, white Salmonds, Trowts, Soles, 
Plaice, Herrings, Conyfish, Rockfish, Eels, 
Lampreys, Catfish, Shades, Perch of three 
sorts, Crabs, Shrimps, Creuises, Oysters, 
Cocles and Muscles. But the most strange 
Fish is a small one, so like the picture of 
Saint George his Dragon, as possible can be, 
except his legges and wings, and the Todefish, 
which will swell till it be like to burst, when 
it cometh into the aire. 
