104 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



dogs dare not encounter with him, that fear not to set 

 upon the most fierce Wolves." 



Of this animal Topsell says : " This beast was not 

 known by the ancients, but hath bin since discovered 

 in the Northern parts of the world, and because of the 

 great voracity thereof, it is called Gulo, that is, a devourer ; 

 in imitation of the Germans, who call such devouring 

 Creatures Vilsruff, and the Swedians Cerff, and in Lituania 

 and Muscovia it is called Rossotnokal. It is thought to be 

 engendered by a Hyaena and a Lionesse, for in quality it 

 rcsembleth a Hycena, and it is the same which is called 

 Croatia : it is a devouring and unprofitable creature 

 having sharper teeth than other creatures. Some thinke 

 it is derived from a wolf and a dog, for it is about 

 the bignesse of a dog. It hath the face of a Cat, the 

 body and taile of a Foxe ; being black of colour ; his 

 feet and nailes be most sharp, his skin rusty, the haire 

 very sharp, and it feedeth upon dead carkases." 



He then describes its manner of feeding, evidently 

 almost literally copying Olaus Magnus, and thus con- 

 tinues : " There are of these beastes two kindes, dis- 

 tinguished by coulour, one blacke, and the other like a 

 Wolfe : they seldom kill a man or any live beastes, but 

 feede upon carrion and dead carkasses, as is before saide, 

 yet, sometimes, when they are hungry, they prey upon 

 beastes, as horses and such like, and then they subtlely 

 ascend up into a tree, and when they see a beast under 

 the same, they leape downe upon him and destroy him. 

 A Beare is afraide to meete them, and unable to match 

 them, by reason of their sharpe teeth. 



" This beast is tamed, and nourished, in the courts 

 of Princes, for no other cause than for an example of 

 incredible voracitie. When he hath filled his belly, if 



