The eighth Booke of 



by his earCjand otbcrwifc it is a bcaft moft quickc of hearing. And obferved it i^, that men neyef (j 

 venture therupon^but when he goeth to releefe, or rcturneth from t!ienGe,^nd thea feg isieth li4«' 

 care dole to the yccjandguefleth thereby Iiowthicke the water is frozen* iffcicn; :..a 



Chap. XXIX, 

 ^ Wha cHths andnathm hAvebeenuttetlj depokdlj ^^^^^^ 



*7 Othing is more certain and notorious than this, that much hurt and dammage hath bftrt 

 1 known to come from fmall contemptible creaturesjwhich otherwife arc of no reekoning 

 . and ^ccoumM J^^rro writethjThat ther&was a townein Spain underminedby Connies : 

 and another likewife in Theflaliejby the Mold warpcs . In Frauncc, tlic inhabitants of one citie f|' 

 were driven out and forced to leave it^by Frogs. Alfo in; Affricke thepeople wereeompelled by 

 Locufts to void their habitations : and out of Gyaros an Iflandj one of the Gycladcs, the Iflan< 

 ders were forced by Rats & Mice to flie away. Moreover^in Italic the citie AmycliE was deftroied- 

 by ScrpentsJn ^EthyopiajOn ths fide the Cynamolgi^there is a greatcountrey lieth waft and de-- 

 iertjby reafbn that it was difpeopled fometime by Scorpions, and a kind of Pifmircs called Sol- 

 pug32. And if it be truethat Theofhrafm reportethjthe Treriens were chafed by ccrtaine worms 

 called Scolopendres.But now let us rcturne to other kinds of wild beafts. 



Chap. XXX» 



^ of theHymafrccuta^Mantichcra^lSkverSyandOtterst I 



AS touching HyiEnesjit is commonly belceved, that they have two natures, and that every 

 fecond yeere they chaunge their fexe, being this yeerc males, and the next yecre females. 

 Howbeit5i_xf?7y?(7//^deniethii. Their necke and the mane therewith, together with the 

 backc, are one entire bone without any joint at all, fo as they cannot bend their neckc wirhout 

 turning the whole bodie about. Many ftrange matters are reported of this beaft,and above all o- 

 ther5that hee will counterfet mans fpeech, and commingto the fheepheards cottages, will call 

 one of them forth,whofe name he hath learned,and when he hath him wiihout,a]l to worrie and 

 teare him in pecces. Alfo it isfaid,that hee will vomit like a man,thereby to traine dogs to come 

 imto him,and then willdevourthem.AHo,thisbeaftaloncofallothers5wilirearchformensbo- K 

 dies within their graves and fepulchersj and rake them forth. The female is lildome taken. Hee 

 chaungethhiseies into a thoufand di vcrle colours. Morcovetjif a dog come vsichin tiis fhadow, 

 heprefcntlyloofethhis barking,and is quite dumbe. AgainCjbyakindof magicall charme or 

 cnchantment,if he goe round about any other living creature but three times, it (hall not have 

 the power to ftirre a foot,and remoove out of the place. The Lionefles of ^thyopiajif they bee 

 covered with any of this kindjbring forth another beaft called Leocrocutajwhich likewife know- 

 cth how to counterf et the voice both of m3n,and of other beafts.He fceth continually with both 

 cics : hee hath one entire bone in fteed of teeth in either jaw (and no gombs at all) wherewith he 

 cutteth^as with a knife. Now thefe bones^becauie they fhould not waxe dull and blunt with con- 

 tinuall grating one againft the other,d]ey are enclofed each of them within a cafe or fneaih. L 



luh^ reporteihjthat the Mantichora alfb in /Ethyopia refembleth mens language.Great ftore 

 of Hyenes be found in Affricke : which alfo yeeldeth a multitude of wild afles. And one of the 

 males is able to rule and lead a whole flocke of the female afles.This bcai^ is fo jcalous,that they 

 lookc narrowly to the females great with young : for fo foonc as they have foled, they bite off the 

 cods ofthc little ones thatbcmalesjandfo gueld them.Butcontrariwife,thefhc afles when they 

 be bigjfeeke corners, and keepe out of their way^that they might bring forth their young fecret- 

 ly without the knowledge of the Stallons : fordefirous they are to have many males cfoletche- 

 lous they be,and glad evermore to be covered. 



, The Bievers in Pontus gueld themfelvesjwhen they fee how neere they are driven, and bee in- 

 danger of the hunters : as knowing full well, that chafed they bee for their genetoires : and thefe M 

 their floneSjPhyficians call Caftoreum. And otherwife, thisis a daungerous and terrible beaft , 

 with hisreeth. For verily,hee will bite downe the trees growing by the river fides,as if they were 

 cut with an axe.Looke where he catcheth hold of a man once, he never leaveth nor letteth loofe 

 imiillhec have knapped the bone in fundcrj and heard it crackcagaiqe. Tailed hee is like a fiilij 



otheiwiic 



