^ Plimcs Naturall Hiftorie, 



A othcrwife he r efcinbleth the Otter. Both thelc beafts live in the water aitogcthcrjarid catrie ah 

 haire fofter thah any plume or downe of feathers. 



■ ■ - A zia li. 



Chap. XXXi. -Jih o? 



Of^rogs^eorCAhes^mdHir-Ufardscdl^dSt^^^ 



THe venomous frogs and todes called RubetJEjwhich live both on landiahd alfo in tfacwa- 

 tcrjyeeld many good things medicinable.It is laidjthat their manner is to let goe ahd call 

 from them all that is good within them^ref e|iing onely to themfelves all the poyibn ; and 

 when they havebeene at their food,take the fome tip againC. The Sca-calfc likewilelivethi both 

 ^ in the fea^and upon the land ; and hath thefame nature and qualitie that the beiver is/or heeca- 

 iletR up his galljwbich is good for many medicines: and fo he doth his runnet in the maw^which 

 is aiingular remedie for thefailing fickneflc : for well is he warCjthat men leeke after him for thefc 

 two things. Theophraftm writeth. That the Lifards called Steiliones, caft their old coatjlikc as 

 lhakesdoe ;but when they have fo done, they cat it up againCj and fo prevent men of the helpc . 

 thereby for the faid falling evill. He reporteth befides^ that their flings and bitings in Greece b« 

 venomous and deadly : but in Sicilie harmeleife. 



Chap. xxxn. 



}^ Of red and fallow Veen ^ 



C 



T HcBuckc or Stag,albcit that he be the moft gentle and mildbeaftintheworld,yetis he as 

 envious as the re{t5& loth to part with that which is good for others. Howbcit, if he chance 

 to bee overlaicd with houndsjthen gently of himfelte hee hath recourfc to a manXikewifc, 

 the Hinds when they a re tocalvCj chufe rather fome place neerc to the paths and waies that are 

 beaten with manS {}eps,thanfecrctcorncrs5forieare of other wild beafts.Thcy begin to goe to 

 rut after the rifing of the ftarre Ardurus, which is much about the fift of September : they goe 

 eight months : and othetwhiles bring two calves at once. Finding themfelves that they are Iped, 

 they part companie with the S tags. B ut they againe feeing themfelves forfakcn^fall into a kind 

 of rage for heat of luftjand dig pits in the ground where they lie hidden.Then begin their muz- 

 j) zles tolookcblackc, andib continue, untiilfuch time as fomerainewafh away that colour. The 

 Hinds before they calvCjpurge themfelves with the hearbe Sefelis or Siler-mountaine, whereby 

 they havelelTepainein their bearing,andmorefpeedie&eafie deliverance. After they are ligh- 

 tened of their burden,they know where two hearbes be, which they have prefently recourfe tin- 

 tOjWoke Robin^and the forefaid Siler-mouiitainc.When they have eaten well thereofjthcy re- 

 turne prefently to their young. And (forwhatfccretreafon in Nature, God knowcs) their firft 

 miikc muft have a taft and talang of thofe two hearbs. Their little ones they pradife and exercife 

 to ulc their legs from the very beginning,fo foon as they be come into the world : teaching them 

 even then how they iTiouId run away and fliS.To high & fteepe cragged rockes they bring thenij, 

 and there fliew them how to leapCjandwithall acquaint them with their dens and places of bar- 

 £ borough.And now by this time,che Stags being paft the heat of the rut, fall hard to their meat, 

 and feed apace. B ut lo foone as they find themlelves to be growne very fat,they feek lurking pla- 

 ces,and there abide,confeffing as it were how heavie and unweldie they be for fatnelle ^ and how 

 uncommodious it is unto them. At other times alway they ufe in their flight to make ftaies,and 

 take their breatb,& as they if and {lilI,to look behind them.But when they cfpie once the hounds 

 and hunters to be neere unto them, then they fall to running afrefh. And this they doeforapairt 

 that they have in their guts, which are fo weake and tender, that with a linall blow or Ihipc given 

 unto them,they will burft within their bellies. When they perceive the hunt is upjand heare the 

 hounds crie, they prefently run, but ever downe the wind, to the end that the fent of their feet 

 fliould paffe away with them. They take great pleafurc and delight in the found of fhecpheards 

 p pipes,and their fongwithall.When they fet up their earcs,they arcraoftquick of hearing: when 

 they let them hang downe,they bee as deafc. Moreover, they arc very fimple andfoolifh crea- 

 tures; amufed,ycajandamafed they will beeat every ihingjand kcepe a wondering at it : info- 

 much, as if anhorfe,acow3 or an heifer approch neerc unto them, they will ftand gazing at 

 itj and never regard the hunters neere by : or if they happen to fpic him, they will looke at 



