HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



199 



Hernandez, but that it was the name by which the Mexi- 

 cans themfelves ufed to call it. Hernandez had feen 

 that quadruped in Spain, becaufe it had been tranfport- 

 ed there from Mexico, as he mentions himfelf, where he 

 had alfo feen in the gardens of Philip II. feveral Mexican 

 plants. But why has no other author made mention of 

 the Xoloitzcuintli ? becaufe neither before nor fmce his 

 time has any one undertaken to write a hiftory of Mexi- 

 can quadrupeds ; and the hiftorians of that kingdom have 

 been contented to mention fome of the commoneft ani- 

 mals. Moreover every wife and impartial perfon mould 

 necefFarily give more credit to Hernandez in the Natural 

 Hiftory of Mexico, as he employed himfelf in it fo many 

 years by order of king Philip II. and as he obferved 

 with his own eyes the animals of Mexico, of which he 

 wrote and informed himfelf from the fpeech of the Mexi- 

 cans themfelves, whofe language he learned, than to the 

 count de BufFon, who, although more ingenious and more 

 eloquent, had no other lights concerning Mexican ani- 

 mals than thofe which he procured from the works of 

 Hernandez, or from the relations of fome other author, 

 not fo deferving of credit as that learned and ikilful 

 naturalift. 



The count de BufFon would make the Tepeitzcuintli of 

 Hernandez, the glutton, a quadruped which is common 

 in the northern countries of both continents ; but who- 

 ever will compare the defcription which the count de 

 BufFon makes of the glutton with that which Hernan- 

 dez gives of the Tepeitzcuintli, will immediately difcern 

 the moll: ftriking difference between thofe two quad- 

 rupeds (g). The glutton is, according to the count de 



BufFon, 



(g) Buffon, Hift. Nat. torn, xxvii. Hernandez, Hift. Quadrup. N. Hifp. 

 cap. xxi, 



