(2) A DESCRIPTION of BEAST S. T BOOK I. Of Quadrupeds, or Four-footed Beafis. HE LION, juftly ftiled by all Writers the King of Beafts, is generally of a dun Colour; but not without fome Exceptions, as black, white and red, in Ethiopia, and fome other Parts of Africa and Afia. The Hair of fome of them is curl'd, and fome long, fhagged and thin. His Head is vaftly large and ftrong; his Nofe thick, his Mouth very wide; his Eyes are red, fiery, and hollow, not very round, nor long, looking awry. His fore Feet have five diftinct Claws on each Foot, and the hinder but four; all crooked, fharp, and exceeding hard. His Sight and Smelling are very acute, and he fleeps with his Eyes open. He can't endure Fire. When other wild Beafts hear his terrible roaring Noife, all are furprized with Fear, and dare not flir; tho' he is not without his Fear of fome Creatures, fuch as (is reported) the great Dogs of India, &c. with which they hunt and kill Lions. He is moft commonly taken with Nets and other Snares. Lions are thought to be long-liv'd, becaufe many of them have been found toothlefs; but this is no certain Sign, as it may proceed from their corrupt Breath, or other Caufes. 2. THE LIONESS, the Female of the fame Kind, is found in the fame Countries, with the fame Nature and Properties; but has no Mane at all, which is proper to the Male only, to whofe Shoulders and Neck 'tis a great Ornament. 3. THE JACCALL, or Wild Dog, (commonly called the Lion's Provider) though not much bigger B. than than a Fox, yet is fo fierce and bold, that it feizes on fuch Beafts, as Cows, Hogs, Sheep, &c. and fometimes it will attack a Man. It is reported, that when this Creature feizes his Prey, he makes an hideous Noife, which gives Notice to the Lion, who immediately comes, if within hearing; at whofe Sight the Jaccall goes a little afide, till the Lion has fully fatisfied his Hunger, and marches off; and then returns, to feed on what the Lion has left. His Head is like a Fox's, and his Body like a Badger's. 4. THE PANTHER is in Shape fomewhat like a Lionefs, but not quite fo large. His Hair is fhort and moffy; his Skin is of a bright yellow, beautifully mark'd with round black Spots, and is faid to fend forth a fragrant Smell, and bears a great Price. He is a very fierce and cruel Beaft, greedy of Blood, very fwift, and catches his Prey by leaping. It is the Nature of this Creature, in fome Places, to hide himself amongst the thick Boughs of Trees, and to furprize his Prey, by leaping upon it fuddenly. His Tongue, in licking, grates like a File. 5. THE LEOPARD is both in Shape, Nature and Colour, very much like a Panther, being fpotted like that Creature, and is faid to be engendered between a Panther and a Lioness, &c. 6. THE TIGER is in Shape fomewhat like a Lionefs, but has a fhort Neck. His Skin is beautifully fpotted, not with round Spots, like a Panther, nor with feveral different Colours. It is very wild and fierce, exceeding ravenous, and of a prodigious Swiftnefs. He fpares neither Man nor Beaft, but if he can fatisfy his Hunger with the Flesh of Beafts, he'll not attempt on Mankind. It is feldom taken but in Defence of its Young. .7. THE RHINOCEROS, fo called because of the Horn in his Nofe, is bred in India and Africa. His Colour is like the Bark of a Box-Tree. He is faid to be in Shape fomewhat like a wild Boar, and not not much unlike an Elephant; and near as long, but not fo high, having fhorter Legs. He has two Girdles upon his Body, like the Wings of a Dragon, from his Back down to his Belly; one towards his Back and Mane, and the other towards his Loins. and hinder Parts. His Skin is fo hard, that no Dart is able to pierce it, and covered over with Scales, like the Shell of a Tortoife. His Legs are alfo scaled over down to the Hoofs, which are parted into four diftin&t Claws. The Horn upon his Nofe is fo very hard and fharp, crooked towards the Crown of his Head, that fome fay it will pierce through Iron or Stone: He is faid frequently to whet his Horn against a Flint, &c. that he may be prepared, whenever he is attacked by an Enemy. He is a mortal Enemy to the Elephant, whom he feldom meets without a Battle; and aims chiefly at his Belly, being the fofteft Place, which if he miffes, the Elephant is too hard for him with his Trunk and Teeth.. The Naturalifts fay, that he grunts like an Hog. The Manner of taking him being fo varioufly and uncertainly related, I thought it not worth defcribing. 8. THE UNICORN, a Beaft which, tho' doubted of by many Writers, yet is by others thus defcribed: He has but one Horn, and that an exceeding rich one, growing out of the Middle of his Forehead. His Head refembles an Hart's, his Feet an Elephant's, his Tail a Boar's, and the rest of his Body an Horfe's. The Horn is about a Foot and a half in Length.. His Voice is like the Lowing of an Ox. His Mane and Hair are of a yellowish Colour. His Horn is as hard as Iron, and as rough as any File, curled like a flaming Sword; very ftraight, every where black, excepting the Point. tues are attributed to it, in expelling of Poifon, and curing of feveral Difeafes. He is not a Beaft of Prey. twifted or fharp, and Great Vir 9. OF BEARS there are two Kinds, a greater and leffer; the latter of which is more apt to climb Trees. Muscovy, and other Northern Countries produce white Bears, for the most Part of a very large B 2 Size. |