CURIOUS CREATURES. 87 



credible swiftenesse and perniscitie of foote. Whereof 

 he tooke two onely of all that appeared in sight, which 

 had such roughe and sharp bodies, as never before were 

 scene. Wherefore, when they were dead, he hung up 

 their skinnes in the Temple of Juno, for a monument 

 of their straunge natures, which remained there untill 

 the destruction of Carthage. By the consideration of 

 this beast, there appeareth one manifest argument of 

 the Creator's devine wisdome and providence, who hath 

 turned the eies of this beaste downeward to the eartd, 

 as it were thereby burying his poyson from the hurt of 

 man ; and shaddowing them with rough, long and strong 

 haire, that their poysoned beames should not reflect 

 upwards, untill the beast were provoked by feare or 

 danger, the heavines of his head being like a clogge to 

 restraine the liberty of his poysonfull nature, but what 

 other partes, vertues or vices, are contained in the corn- 

 passe of this monster, God onely knoweth, who, per- 

 adventure, hath permitted it to live uppon the face of 

 the earth, for no other cause but to be a punishment 

 and scourge unto mankind ; and an evident example 

 of his owne wrathfull power to everlasting destruction. 

 And this much may serve for a description of this beast, 

 untill by God's providence, more can be known thereof." 



THE UNICORN. 



What a curious belief was that of the Unicorn ! Yet 

 what mythical animal is more familiar to Englishmen ? 

 In its present form it was not known to the ancients, 

 not even to Pliny, whose idea of the Monoceros or Uni- 

 corn is peculiar. He describes this animal as having 

 " the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant, the tail of 



